Balsam has magically reappeared in my garden. This fragile looking plant has the amazing strength needed to prevail against the solid hedge of rudbeckia and oregano. Notice the odd ovary that is attached to a tube that pierces the back of a petal. The tip of the ovary develops a clump of stamens that produce pollen. It’s easy for visiting bees, lured by the sweet smell, to transfer pollen to the tiny pistol that threads its way down to the ovary. Everything falls off once pollination had taken place, and the numerous seeds inside the ovary ripen in harmony with the outer wall of the ovary. As the capsule ripens it develops tanninous dehiscent lines, which split apart as soon as they are touched, giving rise to the descriptor explosively dehiscent as well as the nickname touch-me-not.
Balsam has many medicinal uses in the traditional medicines of China and Japan.
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