Solved Wild Flower Ident please --- Himalayan balsam. Impatiens glandulifera.

Spotted this growing alongside the river earlier this year (just re-found the image on my phone). To me, it looks orchid like but probably isn't, any ideas please?



Cheers in advance.

 

Eeeck!
The dreaded Himalayan balsam.
Impatiens glandulifera.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Impatiens glandulifera.&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=4JTDU5eNMMmw7AaGoICACw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1670&bih=810

Beautiful...BUT....
It is a menace ..a thug.
It has seeds that explode and it is taking over river banks all over Britain.
Smothering all our native wild flowers.

Just as bad or even worse as Rhododendron ponticum and Japanese knotweed.

 

Thanks Silver Surfer, as you say, a beautiful flower, but if it's another Japanese knotweed, definitely don't want it around here!

 

Exactly where it is not wanted!

If you have no stream, ditch or river in your garden there is a nice selection called Red Wine. The leaves have a deep red centre vein and the flowers are a better colour. I let a few seed pods go and thin out to a couple of plants (they're easily spotted) and this year I got this....................


Impatiens balfourii is a smaller and better choice though....................


Spend five or ten minutes deadheading both once a week and they'll never be a nuisance, but do not consider either if you do have a nearby water course.

 

The only good thing about it is that despite being up to seven foot tall with stems about 4ins diameter it is very shallow rooted and wonderfully easy to pull out. We have another day of action organised next week along our local river when a group of volunteers will take pleasure in pulling up hundreds of plants and so reducing the seed bank for future years.

If you see any along your local river - pull it out or crush the stems to stop it producing seeds.

 

If you see it anywhere outside of the garden environment pull it out! BUT, check the seed pods - you don't want to knock them and make them "explode" if possible as this will distribute the seed.

 

Eat the seed pods, they explode in the warmth of your mouth

 

Like Space Dust!