Impatiens sodenii Engl.

Management Notes (for the Swan NRM Region)

General Biology. Reproduction. Reproduce by seed.. Dispersal. Seeds dispersed from explosive seed capsules. Grows readily from stem fragments..

Notes. Stems are thick and succulent, simple or only moderately branched, glabrous (hairless), becoming slightly woody below. The bright green leaves are in dense whorls of 6-12, 5-18 cm long and 2-5 cm wide. The flowers appear singly or in pairs at the leaf-stem junction at the top of the plant. They could be pale pink or white, sometimes with darker marks, 5 petalled, about 5 cm in diameter. The flowers throughout the year. The fruit is a smooth greenish capsule, 24 mm long and 8 mm wide..

Additional information. Origin. Native to East Africa. History of use/introduction. As this weed tends to be spread into bush and wetland areas through the dumping of garden waste containing fragments of stem and roots..

Suggested method of management and control. Smaller plants can be dug out, taking care to remove all parts. Bag and dispose of to prevent dumping. Spray (100ml glyphosate + 20ml penetrant/10L or 3g metsulfuron + 10ml penetrant/10L) avoiding spray runoff. Limited herbicide follow-up required. Read the manufacturers' labels and material safety data sheets before using herbicides. For further information consult the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to determine the status of permits for your situation or state.

References

• Auckland Council (2019) Shrub Balsam. URL: http://pestplants.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/plant-search/Impsod - Accessed May 2019.
• City of Gold Coast (2013) Environmental Weeds and Native Alternatives - An identification guide. Queensland Government, Queensland. URL: http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/documents/bf/environmental_weeds_web.pdf - Accessed May 2019.
• International Environmental Weed Foundation (2005) Impatiens sodenii. IEWF URL: https://www.iewf.org/weedid/Impatiens_sodenii.htm - Accessed May 2019.