I have been seeing a lot of Little Balsam in the Forest, our established Asian. But this was different. If I hadn’t’ve stooped to inspect what seemed to be a slightly larger, brighter flower, I would never have known this was different, an uncommon native.
This is 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑙𝑖-𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟𝑒, Touch-me-not Balsam. See that hooked spur? Dead giveaway.
Don’t touch it? Well, if you must, wait until the seed pods have formed. Then you will delight in having done so, having assisted in an explosive seed dispersal.