Is this poisonous?

[glasshouse]

Himalayan balsam i think

 

[organicguy]

I believe the young tips are edible as a vegetable but don't take my word for it!

 

[Will Blackburn]

No

 

[yoki]

Himalayan balsam i think

Yes, definitely.

I had loads of it along a river bank a few years ago but it's nearly all gone.

I'm assuming it's an annual and the sheep have eaten it and prevented it seeding and spreading.

No sheep have died!

 

[ladycrofter]

Bees love it. But it shouldn't be here.

 

[yoki]

Bees love it. But it shouldn't be here.

I'd still take it over ragwort.

Which arguably does belong here!

 

[Phil P]

From google-

“Although parts of the plant are edible, since Himalayan balsam has a high mineral content, it is not recommended to consume large amounts of it. It also contains calcium oxalate, which is toxic in its raw form. Cooking, on the other hand, completely disintegrates”

Impatiens glandulifera - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Bury the Trash]

i'm assuming it's a annual and the sheep have eaten it and prevented it seeding and spreading.

 

[yoki]

Yes sorry, you are quite correct.

I'll edit.

Thanks.

 

[Phil P]

I should add, it’s a highly invasive species and spreads easily. Topping just spreads it fast so best to just keep spraying it off with a good dose of glyphosate.

 

[Bury the Trash]

I should add, it’s a highly invasive species and spreads easily. Topping just spreads it fast so best to just keep spraying it off with a good dose of glyphosate.

as an annual, topping before the seed is viable will get rid of it. its not rhizomatous or anything like that,

 

[Phil P]

as an annual, topping before the seed is viable will get rid of it. its not rhizomatous or anything like that,

Our trouble is getting near it with a topper before it’s seeded as there’s usually still a crop in the field.
We’ve not got loads but left unchecked it doesn’t take long to spread! I’ve noticed it appearing on some roadside verges and hedges locally now as well.

 

[wherearethey]

I deal with land management for several large commercial enterprises ,Himalayan balsam is always picked up on biodiversity surveys as an invasive species and as a result gets put on our list for removal .It is actually quite closely related to Busy Lizzies - the bedding plant !
below is an excerpt from an invasive species survey we had carried out recently ;

Himalayan balsam is a highly invasive non-native plant which grows in habitats such as watercourses, around ponds, ditches, lakes and in damp woodland. It was introduced from the Himalayas in the 19th Century as a garden ornamental and has since become well-established in the UK and is known for its ability spread rapidly.

Himalayan balsam is an annual plant germinating from seed in the spring, flowering in mid-summer (pale pink flowers) and producing 800-1500 seeds per plant. The ‘explosive’ seedpods can scatter seed up to 6 metres from the parent plant which remain in the soil until they germinate the following spring. Managing this species requires targeting the plant in the spring / early summer to prevent seed production together with continued treatment over several years to deplete the seedbank- seeds are viable for up to 4 years .
Recommended control methods include - grazing by animals ,cutting back before flowering ,pulling up by hand ,treating with herbicide where appropriate

 

[Estate fencing.]

No sheep have died!

You must be entitled to some sort of award.

 

[TripleSix]

It only really grows in damp places.

But there's a lot about this year because there's been many damp places....

 

[yoki]

You must be entitled to some sort of award.

I did lose one last year to listeriosis,

....................not the better of it yet!

 

[GEMS]

Yes, definitely.

I had loads of it along a river bank a few years ago but it's nearly all gone.

I'm assuming it's an annual and the sheep have eaten it and prevented it seeding and spreading.

No sheep have died!

It also contains calcium oxalate, which is toxic in its raw form. Cooking, on the other hand, completely disintegrates”
Did the sheep cook it ??

 

[Blue.]

It only really grows in damp places.

But there's a lot about this year because there's been many damp places....

I was going to say this year has been perfect for it wet wet wet...

 

[Magnus Oyke]

You must be entitled to some sort of award.

at least a mention in the New Years Honours List

 

[Forkdriver]

The only time our sheep grazed it off was last year when it was very dry and they were short of grass.