(shade
type) and
(New
Guinea type, sun)
shade type photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons, Desi Burgos
Common name: Impatiens
Family: Balsaminaceae, Balsam
Height x width: 12-24" x 12-24"
Growth rate: moderate
Foliage: simple, alternate or upper whorled, ovate 1-3" long
Flowers: irregular, axillary, 3 sepals one forming a spur, 5 petals usually; many colors
Hardiness: annual
Soil: well-drained, moist, fertile
Light: shade or sun (if organic soil and kept moist)
Pests and problems: damping-off during germination, fungal blights and rots, botrytis blight, bacterial leaf spot, viruses, slugs
Landscape habit, uses: massing, edging, containers, hanging baskets
Other interest: genus name refers to "impatient" nature of seed pods bursting when ripe; number one bedding plant
Other culture: more water and fertilizer yields taller plants; space 12" apart
Propagation: seeds sown indoors 6 weeks before planting out, cuttings in late summer to overwinter--root easily in water
Species:
balsamina (ball-sam' eh-nah)--Garden Balsam; erect rounded habit, short period of bloom and often hidden flowers in foliage, native of India and China; prefers sun (photo courtesy uwsp.edu, K Stuber)
hawkeri (hawk' er-ii)--New Guinea Impatiens, leaves generally larger and brightly colored bronze or purple with yellow or pink midribs, thick stems, larger showy flowers in various colors, prefers sun, usually from cuttings, native of New Guinea
walleriana (wall-er-aa' nah)--Impatiens, Patient Lucy, Sultana, Busy Lizzie; mounding habit, long bloom, native of eastern Africa; named after Horace Waller, a British missionary to east Africa; 46,000 seeds per ounce; prefers shade
Cultivars: (colors in series-- over 325 total-- available
separately)
| Cultivars | species | flowers | other |
| Accent series | walleriana | 18 colors, large | early, basal branching |
| Blitz 2000 series | walleriana | 10 colors, 2 1/2" wide | more compact, pots |
| Bull series | hawkeri | 10 colors | from Bull (Ger.) |
| Carambole series | balsamina | 4 colors and mix | 10-14" tall, double |
| Celebration series | hawkeri | 17 colors | from Ball |
| Confection series | walleriana | 5 colors, double | good in pots |
| Danzinger series | hawkeri | 18 colors | from Dan (Israel) |
| Dazzler series | walleriana | 12 colors | 8-10" tall, best in shade |
| Deco series | walleriana | 8 colors, 2" wide | vigorous, bronze leaves |
| Expo series | walleriana | European series | |
| Fantasia series | walleriana | 13 colors | 10-12" tall, compact |
| Futura series | walleriana | 10 colors | 10-12" tall, compact |
| Impulse series | walleriana | 13 colors, 2" wide | compact, good in heat |
| Lasting Impression series | hawkeri | 17 colors | from Mikkelsens |
| Liberty, Patriot series | hawkeri | 14 colors | from Dummen |
| Mikkel Sunshine series | hawkeri | 7 colors | from Mikkelsens |
| Mini series | walleriana | 6-8" tall, carpet effect | |
| Novette series | walleriana | 9 colors | 6-8" tall, early bloom |
| Paradise series | hawkeri | 17 colors | from Kientzler (Ger.) |
| Pride series | walleriana | 8 colors, 2 1/2" wide | mounding, many flowers |
| Pure Beauty series | hawkeri | 8 colors | from Kientzler (Ger.) |
| Shady Lady series | walleriana | 18 colors, large | 12-15" tall mounds, shade |
| Soda Pops series | walleriana | 16 colors, large | early, compact |
| Spectra series | hawkeri | 7 colors | from seed |
| Splash series | walleriana | 7 bright colors | 8-10" tall, early |
| Sun and Shade series | walleriana | 17 colors | vigorous |
| Super Elfin series | walleriana | 15 colors | 8-10" tall, most popular |
| Swirl series | walleriana | 3 picotee colors, large | 10-12" tall, compact |
| 'Tango' | hawkeri | orange, 2 1/2" wide | 18-24" tall, from seed |
| Tempo series | walleriana | 17 colors, 2 1/2" wide | very early, compact |
| 'Tom Thumb Dwarf' | balsamina | double, above leaves | compact, uniform |
| Twinkles series | walleriana | bicolors | 8-10" tall, early |
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