Touch-me-not, Snapweed, Wild sesame
Impatiens noli-tangere
Family: Balsaminaceae
What it is like
A succulent annual herb. It grows 40-100 cm high. The leaves are alternate and narrowly oval. They are 5-10 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. They taper to the tip and are wedge shaped at the base. There are rounded teeth along the edge. The flowers are showy and have yellow and red spots. They have 2 equal halves. There are 2 or 3 flowers in a cluster on slender stalks. The fruit are narrow capsules that open explosively. They coil back. There are mant brown seeds.
There are about 850 Impatiens species.
Where it is found
In China it grows in the mountains in western Hubei. It grows in shady, damp places. It grows along canals between 900-2,400 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Asia, Balkans, Bosnia, China, Europe, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mongolia, North America, Russia, Siberia, Slovenia
How it is used for food
The young leaves are cooked as a vegetable. The seeds are used as sesame.
Edible parts
Seeds, leaves
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Navadna nedotika