Balsam : Full Bloom In Munnar
Presenting a visual feast to tourists, balsams (genus Impatiens) are in full bloom in Munnar.
- Balsam is locally called as Kasithumba and Onappovu.
- It is known as ‘touch-me-not’ because of the bursting of mature seeds and seed distribution.
- They are commonly known by different names including balsams, touch me not, jewel weed etc.
- It is distributed in the tropical, sub-tropical and northern temperate regions of the world.
- It is found mainly in India, China and Africa and some parts of Europe and North America.
- India is home to 220 balsam species in which 135 are found in the southern Western Ghats.
- Anamudi, the highest mountain in the Western Ghats, and the surrounding high ranges are known for the diversity of wild balsams.
- The normal lifecycle of balsams is from June to December.
- The plant mainly grows inside pockets of forest areas.
- It is a major indicator species of climate change.
