Invasive small balsam confirmed spreading in Metro Vancouver forests
iNaturalist: austiinfrankliin
Invasive Species
If you hike Vancouver's shaded trails, this fast-spreading annual can carpet the forest floor and crowd out native wildflowers before most people even notice it's there.
Someone out exploring Metro Vancouver spotted a plant called small balsam and logged it on iNaturalist, where other experts confirmed the identification, making it a verified, research-grade sighting. Small balsam is originally from Central Asia and has been spreading through shaded, moist areas across North America and Europe. Each confirmed sighting like this one helps scientists and land managers track exactly where the plant has taken hold so they can watch for its spread into new areas.
Key Findings
Observation reached 'research-grade' status on iNaturalist, meaning the identification was confirmed by the community
Location confirmed in Metro Vancouver, BC, Canada, an area of the Pacific Northwest
Species is Impatiens parviflora (small balsam), a plant native to Central Asia and considered invasive in parts of North America and Europe
chevron_right Technical Summary
A citizen scientist spotted and confirmed small balsam, a small-flowered invasive plant from Central Asia, growing in Metro Vancouver, BC. The sighting was verified to research-grade status, helping track how this plant is spreading through Pacific Northwest ecosystems.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
small balsam (Impatiens parviflora) observed in Metro Vancouver, BC, Canada
Research-grade observation of small balsam in Metro Vancouver, BC, Canada.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
Was this useful?
Want to tell us more? (optional)
Thanks for the note!
Something went wrong — please try again.
Too many submissions. Try again in an hour.
Street trees cut heat deaths by 39 percent in European cities
Trees in your local park or street aren't just pretty — they are literally keeping people alive during heatwaves, and planting even a modest number of the ri...
Impatiens parviflora is a species of annual herbaceous plants in the family Balsaminaceae, native to some areas of Eurasia, naturalized elsewhere and found in damp shady places. Impatiens parviflora can grow in sandy, loamy, and clay soils and prefers moist soil. The name comes from the fact that...