Impatiens Walleriana

Impatiens walleriana Hook.f. (syn. Impatiens sultanii Hook.f.), also known as Busy Lizzie (United Kingdom), balsam or simply impatiens, is a species of the genus Impatiens, native to eastern Africa from Kenya to Mozambique. It is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant growing to 15–60 cm tall, with broad lanceolate leaves 3–12 cm long and 2–5 cm broad. Leaves are mostly alternate, although they may be opposite near the top of the plant. The flowers are profusely borne, 2–5 cm diameter, with five petals and a 1 cm spur. The seedpod explodes when ripe in the same manner as other Impatiens species, an evolutionary adaptation for seed dispersal.