Touch-Me-Not (Impatiens noli-tangere)

Family: Balsaminaceae | Edibility: Edible (3/5)

Impatiens noli-tangere is a ANNUAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Nuts/Seeds, Leaves, Shoots

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer, Spring

Flavor & Culinary Uses

delicious nutty flavour but rather difficult to harvest, mainly because of their exploding seed capsules which scatter the ripe seed at the slightest touch. — Young shoots - cooked.; See the notes above on toxicity.; A delicious nutty flavour but rather difficult to harvest, mainly because of their exploding seed capsules which scatter the ripe seed at the slightest touch.

Habitat & North American Range

By streams, wet ground in woods in N. Wales, the Lake District, Yorkshire and Lancashire. (Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9)