[Sally A]

There are clumps of this growing by the brook, and I quite fancied collecting some seed for a damp shady part of the garden under a North West facing hedge.

All the websites say it's a real menace and has taken over river banks.

Should I forego the idea?

Does anyone have any in their garden?

[Celtic Eagle]

Please do not even consider this it's a nice plant but so invasive . I'm not sure it might be classed as one the plants that it's illegal to propagate and plant . Leave it alone please you will regret it

[Bernard]

If you saw the masses of it which grow on all our river banks, you would certainly not consider helping it to spread. It holds its own even against established nettle beds. The only worse invader is Japanese Knotweed.

[Sally A]

As a penance for enjoying popping the seeds so much (well, they would have gone on their own eventually) I will indulge in balsam bashing next year before more seed pods are formed.

[Selkie]

thanks for this

my dad keeps bees and apparently this plant is a really good one for bees (not sure if it's the pollen/nectar) ANWAY he was saying that it would be good to get some in their garden especially for the bees.

my mum and myself both said it's very invasive so i am going to print this discussion off and show it to him!!

we have japanese knotweed in our garden and i can't believe that someone would willingly introduce something that's as invasive...

[Bernard]

H balsam has been ousting other wild plants from our river banks all my angling  life (50 years\).
Yes, bees do like it but if you purposely introduce it to any location its seed will quickly spread and it is very nearly uncontrollable.

[Sally A]

the cattle have eaten it all in their field now, I did read that grazing animals will keep it in check, unfortunately they were put into the field after the seeds had erupted.