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Annual Flower,
Houseplant
Also known as Busy Lizzy, Patience Plant, Garden Impatiens, Patient Lucy
Impatiens walleriana
Balsaminaceae Family
Synonym: Impatiens holstii,I. Sultanii, I. wallerana (common misspelling)
A classic favorite for adding abundant color to hard-to-plant shady areas. Impatiens seldom fail to please with its mounding growth habit and colorful flowers in shades of pink, white, red, purple, and orange. Does not perform well in sunny locations where it needs too much water.
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Site Characteristics
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Sunlight:
Soil conditions:
- requires well-drained soil
- tolerates damp soil
Special locations:
- outdoor containers
- indoors as a houseplant
- Grow indoors in bright light using rich, well drained soil that is kept moist but not soggy.
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Plant Traits
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Lifecycle:
annual
Ease-of-care:
easy
Height:
0.5 to 2.5 feet
Spread:
0.5 to 2 feet
Bloom time:
- early summer
- mid-summer
- late summer
- early fall
Keeps blooming until frost.
Flower color:
- red
- orange
- violet
- white
- pink
- other
Flowers come in many variations of red, orange, purple, white, and pink. Some varieties Impatiens bicolor flowers in pink, red, orange, purple, and white.
Foliage color:
Some have bronze tinted foliage. Stems break easily, so handling should be kept at a minimum.
Foliage texture:
medium
Shape:
- cushion, mound or clump
- upright
Some varieties have a wide, sprawling growth habit, while others tend to grow more upright and dense.
Shape in flower:
same as above
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Special Considerations
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Special characteristics:
- non-aggressive
- non-invasive
- not native to North America
- African rainforests
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Growing Information
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How to plant:
Propagate by
seed,
cuttings
- Sow seeds indoors 12 weeks before the last spring frost. Do not cover the seeds with soil, as they need light to germinate. Until the seeds germinate, cover the seed trays with clear plastic to maintain high humidity. Water from below to prevent damping off. If large stock plants are available, cuttings can be taken in the spring. They root easily in potting mix. Pre-started plants are readily available at retail outlets.
Germination temperature: 70 F to 75 F
Days to emergence: 14 to 21
Maintenance and care:
Pinch back the plants to keep them bushy. Keep medium moist but not soggy. Avoid sunny locations as plants will require too much water.
More growing information: How to Grow Annuals
Pests:
Aphids
Cucumber beetles (eat flowers)
Tarnished plant bug
Parasitic nematodes
Spider mites
Diseases:
Oedema
Powdery mildew
Rhizoctonia web blight
Seedling damp-off
Verticillium wilt
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Varieties
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Look for varying heights and plant shapes, single- and double-flowered types(doubles look like miniature roses), various single flower colors and combinations, dwarfs.'Mini-Hawaiian' Series: miniatures in various flower colors. 'Jewel' Series: a wide variety of vibrant flower colors ‘African Queen’: the only yellow-flowered variety. Yellow flowers with red markings in their centers. 1- 1 ˝’ tall in pots, to 2’ tall in the garden.
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