English: Himalayan Balsam. Flowers and seed pods of Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) growing by the River Roch at Blackford Bridge, Bury. This plant was introduced to Britain in 1839, but escaped from gardens and rapidly colonised riverbanks and areas of damp ground. Himalayan balsam grows in dense stands (up to 3m tall) that suppress the growth of native grasses and other flora. In the autumn, the plants die back, leaving the banks bare of vegetation and vulnerable to erosion. The seeds form in pods that, when ripe, explode and scatter the seeds some distance. This plant colonises most of the watercourses in this area. SD807076