Impatiens balsamina

Rose Balsam, Garden balsam, touch-me-not

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

I was holding one of these flowers Integral Generosity in my hand when I saw Z, and I explained to him what I meant by 'integral generosity.' The effect of the ego, I told him, is to shrivel the being. It's the cause of aging, it dries you up—the being shrivels under it like a withering flower. I know that at a certain moment I was making the distinction between the two states, between the person—the individual, personal being—turning towards the Lord, imploring Him to reveal His Will, and then this experience of becoming—by extending oneself, by opening, by enlarging, by merging into the creation—of BECOMING the Will of the Lord, the Supreme's Will.

The Mother, Mother's Agenda: October 2, 1961

Varieties

Message of the Flower

Generosity

The Mother’s Comment

Gives and gives itself without bargaining.

Colour

Shades of red, pink, purple, and white

Message of the Flower

Psychic Generosity

The Mother’s Comment

Gives for the joy of giving.

Colour

Pink

Message of the Flower

Generosity in the Vital

The Mother’s Comment

Gives itself unstintingly.

Colour

Rose purple

Message of the Flower

Perfect Generosity in the Vital

Colour

Rose purple

Message of the Flower

Psycho-physical Generosity

The Mother’s Comment

Generosity of thought and act.

Colour

Bicoloured, pink and red

Message of the Flower

Generosity in the Physical

The Mother’s Comment

Loves abundance and loves to give it.

Colour

Red

Message of the Flower

Manifold Generosity

The Mother’s Comment

All in nature is spontaneously generous.

Colour

Bicoloured

Family

Balsaminaceae

Cultivars

Numerous, with a variety of colors including white, pink, red, and purple

Person who named the flower

Carl Linnaeus

Flower Size

1-2 inches in diameter

Flower Texture

Soft and slightly moist

Number of Petals

5, though double varieties appear to have more due to extra petal-like structures

Floral Symmetry

Bilateral

Fragrance of Flower

Mildly fragrant

Leaf Texture

Smooth, with serrated edges

Leaf Arrangement

Alternate

Leaf Color

Green, sometimes with a reddish tinge along the edges

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Herbaceous annual

Life Cycle

Annual

Blooming Period

Summer to fall

Climate

Prefers warm, tropical to subtropical climates

Water Requirements

Moderate; prefers consistently moist soil

Soil Type

Well-drained, rich in organic matter

Temperature Ranges

Thrives in temperatures above 60F (15C)

Sun or Shade

Prefers partial shade; can tolerate morning sun with afternoon shade

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Susceptible to downy mildew, spider mites, and aphids

Pollinators

Attracts bees and butterflies

Habitat

Gardens, containers, and borders; originally from Southeast Asia

Role in the Ecosystem

Provides nectar for pollinators

Ornamental

Widely cultivated for its ornamental value in gardens

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Mainly ornamental

Endangered Status

Not endangered; widely cultivated