An Alberta weed specialist is hoping people don’t obey Himalayan balsam’s nickname: touch me not.
The aggressive annual has gained a foothold around Alberta lakes, rivers and other riparian areas, where it chokes native vegetation, said Alberta Agriculture weed specialist Nicole Kimmel.
The best method of control is to simply pull the shallow-rooted weed and bag it so it doesn’t spread seed.
However, spreading seed is one of the things the attractive plant does best. Its touch me not moniker comes from its ability to shoot seeds up to 10 metres when its pods are touched.
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That’s why it’s best to attempt control before it sets seed.
The weed is native to Asia and was introduced to Canada as a popular ornamental because of its showy flowers. It can be found in every province and most of the United States.
The weed was listed as prohibited and noxious in the Alberta Weed Act in 2010, Kimmel said.
“Since then, we’ve found tons and tons of it, mostly in ornamental situations, but we have found some escaped populations on a few lakes and into ravine areas.”
The weed isn’t a threat to crops but is creeping into riparian areas, where it chokes other moisture-loving plants, including cattails. When it dies off in winter, it leaves riverbanks and lakeshores exposed to erosion.
“We have no herbicide options in those areas, so that gives it a little bit of a heightened concern for us,” said Kimmel.
Himalayan balsam has many names, among then policeman’s helmet and the related bobby tops, poor man’s orchid, Hawaiian orchid, gnome’s hatstand, kiss me on the mountain, Indian balsam and ornamental jewelweed. Its flowers are pink, purple or white and leaves are oblong with a serrated edge.
