Impatiens are a staple annual flower for many gardeners, especially those with shady spots to fill. These flowers do well in partial shade and come in a variety of colors. If you love the usual impatiens found at most garden centers, try the Velvet Love plant. This variety of impatiens is unique with pretty foliage and flowers. Read on for more Velvet Love impatiens info.

Velvet Love Impatiens Information

Impatiens morsei, also known as the Velvet Love impatiens, or velvetea, is a variety from China that has foliage and flowers unlike most impatiens you’ve seen. It may be difficult to find in your local nursery but is worth tracking down, online if necessary. 

The common name comes from the fact that the leaves are a soft, velvety deep green. They are so dark they appear black in certain light. The leaves also have a bright pink stripe down the center and are anchored on pink stems.

Velvet Love blooms are white with orange and yellow markings. They are about an inch (2.5 cm.) long and tubular in shape with colored markings in the throat. Velvet Love impatiens grow upright and quite tall if given the right conditions. They can be as tall as two feet (61 cm.).

Growing Velvet Love Impatiens

This variety of impatiens, like other varieties, is easy to grow. Velvetea impatiens care is simple if you can give the plants their favored conditions. They prefer a warm climate, so for many people, these plants are annuals. If you live somewhere warm, you may get year-round blooms out of your Velvet Love plant.

They also do well with at least partial shade and some humidity. Soil should be rich and kept moist but also needs to drain well. These plants will suck up water, especially during the summer and dry spells.

In addition to growing Velvet Love as an outdoor annual, consider potting it as an indoor plant. If you can keep it moist and humid, this plant thrives in containers and even in a terrarium. The indoor warmth will keep it blooming much of the year too.

Impatiens plants are the classic shade flowers. They are perfect for filling in those shady areas of beds and the yard where other plants just don’t thrive. They add color and cheer, but impatiens can also become leggy, showing off more stems that blooms. A little trimming will help keep your plants in bloom and attractive until the weather really turns.

Why Pruning Impatiens is Important

Not only to impatiens flowers fill in shady areas, but they are pretty low maintenance. They need regular waterings but, otherwise, you mostly don’t have to do anything with them for long periods of time. One thing you may want to do occasionally, however, is pruning or cutting back impatiens.

About mid-season, you may notice your impatiens getting a little leggy, meaning their stems get quite long and weak and develop fewer flowers. You’ll see a lot of holes, or empty spaces in your plants as opposed to fullness. Trimming and pruning impatiens is necessary if you want to keep them looking full, healthy, and colorful for the whole growing season.

Fortunately, doing so is not difficult, nor is it time-consuming.

How to Cut Back Impatiens

Rejuvenating impatiens that have become leggy and overgrown is as simple as a quick pruning. First, in order to keep your plants blooming all summer, pinch off the tops of stems after each flower has bloomed and faded. This deadheading encourages new blooms. You can do this regularly throughout the growing season.

Just once or twice, beginning first in midsummer, cut back the entire plant by four to six inches (10-15 cm.), or three inches (7.5 cm.) from the ground. Only do this if you see the plant becoming leggy. If it remains full and grows well, there is no need to cut back.

When cutting back your impatiens, give most attention to center leaves. Clipping these off will encourage side shoots to produce more fullness. Knowing how to trim impatiens will help you keep your beds under control and looking their best, but it’s also important to avoid spreading disease.

When using shears or scissors in the garden disinfect them in a bleach solution between jobs.

For colorful blooms in the shade garden, there is nothing like the flowers of the impatiens plant. Attractive foliage fills the bed before blossoms appear. Because of their preference to grow in partial, afternoon, and/or filtered shade, many impatiens’ water needs are different from sun-loving plants. Read more to learn how to water impatiens correctly.

About Impatiens Plant Irrigation

Watering impatiens in your flowerbeds and borders depends largely upon the soil in which they’re planted and the kind of light they get. Soil, ideally, will be rich and well-draining with a good amount of compost and organic matter worked in before planting. Morning sun, partial morning sun, or filtered sun (such as through tree branches) is a good fit for most older variety impatiens.

Newer types of this flower, called SunPatiens, can take more sun than older varieties like balsam and some New Guinea impatiens. All types, though, appreciate moist soil and may wilt when not enough water is provided to them – one way to tell when they're in need of watering.

How to Water Impatiens

Impatiens plant irrigation should be consistent but need not be daily during comfortable temperatures in late spring and summer. When temperatures are in the high 80’s or 90s, it is more likely these flowers require watering every day. Mulch helps retain moisture so you may not have to water as often.

Quickly soak the area where impatiens plants grow but don’t water them excessively. Spring watering, especially if you’re growing your plants from seed, may be needed just once or twice a week. Soil for young seedlings should not be allowed to get soggy. Soil that stays too wet causes seedlings to sometimes damp off.

These plants are susceptible to water mold (Plasmopara obducens), often called downy mildew, causing stunting, leaf drop, bloom drop, and rot. Learning how and when to water impatiens helps avoid this and other disease problems.

Again, water consistently when possible. Don’t water following rain until the soil is dry. Water at the same time of day. Early morning or late afternoon are appropriate times. Don’t water when the sun is shining on the plants.

Try to water as much as possible at the roots, not getting the foliage wet. A soaker hose on low for a brief time is an easy and appropriate way to accomplish proper watering for impatiens. The hose may be covered with mulch so as not to detract from the beauty of your flowerbed.

Impatiens have long been one of the most common additions to landscape plantings and annual flower beds. Readily available in garden centers and at plant nurseries, these easy to find flowering plants thrive in shady locations. Due to this, impatiens are excellent candidates for container culture indoors throughout the winter. Keep reading to learn more about caring for indoor impatiens plants.

Can You Grow Impatiens Indoors?

Though most commonly grown as a tender annual bedding plant due to their inability to tolerate frost, impatiens plants that have to be brought indoors can easily and reliably be grown throughout the winter months. This relatively simple process will offer gardeners lush growth and blooms during the coldest times of the year.

How to Grow Impatiens as a Houseplant

The first step in the process of growing these plants indoors is bringing impatiens inside. If the outdoor impatiens were grown in a container throughout the summer, those plants can be gently trimmed back and then moved indoors. If impatiens plants have been grown in the garden, the easiest solution is to take impatiens cuttings during the late summer. To take impatiens cuttings, simply remove a portion of the stem about 6 inches (15 cm.) long. Remove all but one or two sets of leave from the bottom of the cutting. Place the cutting into a well-draining growing medium. Ensure that the mixture remains moist. After a few weeks, roots will have developed and growers can transplant into a new container indoors. Since impatiens are known to root quite easily, the use of rooting hormone is not necessary. Once the plants have been taken indoors and planted into a well-draining container, an essential key to success is the selection of an optimal growing location. While they are somewhat tolerant of low-light conditions, the lack of sunlight throughout the winter months can negatively impact the growth of impatiens. For this reason, it is important to place the container in a sunny, south-facing location. Gardeners unable to provide proper light conditions may also have success using supplemental grow lights. Houseplant impatiens grow best when temperatures are not allowed to drop below 55 degrees F. (13 C.). This will ensure steady growth conditions conducive to flowering throughout the winter. Throughout the growth period, plants should be kept consistently moist, making certain to avoid waterlogged soil and the potential for root rot. Lastly, plants may need occasional misting when humidity is low. When properly cared for, the process of growing impatiens indoors can reward gardeners with steady bursts of color until spring arrives the next growing season.

When you hear someone mention impatiens, you probably picture the old standby of shade-loving bedding plants with short succulent stems, delicate flowers, and seed pods that burst from the slightest touch. You may also picture the intense variegated foliage of the increasingly popular, sun-tolerant New Guinea impatiens. Well, toss those pictures of common impatiens out the window because the new, rare varieties of Impatiens arguta are like no impatiens you’ve ever seen before. Read on for more Impatiens arguta information.

What is Impatiens arguta?

Impatiens arguta is a semi-shrubby, upright type of impatiens that grows 3 to 4 feet (1 m.) tall and wide. Upright impatiens is native to regions of the Himalayas and grows as a perennial in U.S. hardiness zones 7 through 11. In zones 9 to 11, it may grow as an evergreen and bloom all year. When temperatures in these zones dip too low, or there is an unseasonal frost, the plant may die back to the ground, but then regrow from their thick tubers when the weather warms back up. Elsewhere, it can be grown as an annual, where it can trail and climb in containers and baskets. The real “wow factor” of Impatiens arguta, however, is its lavender-blue funnel or tubular shaped flowers. These blooms hang below the deep green, serrated foliage from tiny delicate, inconspicuous stems. They have been described as graceful little floating sea creatures which look as if they are gently floating on waves as the plant sways in the breeze. The flowers have also been described as orchid-like. Depending on variety, the flowers have yellow-orange throats with red-orange markings. The other end of the flower curls in a hooked spur, which may also have yellow-red coloring. These flowers bloom from spring to frost and even longer in frost free areas. Suggested varieties of Impatiens arguta are ‘Blue I,’ ‘Blue Angel,’ and ‘Blue Dreams.’ There is also a white variety known as ‘Alba.’

Growing Upright Impatiens Plants

Impatiens arguta is an extremely easy plant to grow, provided it has consistently moist soil and protection from the afternoon sun. While the plant has some sun tolerance, it still grows best in part shade to shade, like common impatiens. Upright impatiens plants will also tolerate heat extremely well when planted in rich, fertile, moist soil. The plants are so easy to grow that they can also be grown as houseplants. New plants can be propagated from seeds, cuttings, or divisions. When grown outdoors, they are also seldom bothered by deer. These rare plants may not be available in local greenhouses and garden centers, but many online retailers have recently started selling them world-wide.

Impatiens plants are great bedding and container flowers that ought to bloom reliably all summer long. They’re an old standby for bright, full color. That’s why it can be especially frustrating if your plants stop blooming or never even start. Keep reading to learn more about why impatiens won’t bloom.

Why Won’t My Impatiens Bloom?

Of all the possible reasons impatiens are not blooming, one of the most common is improper sun exposure. Impatiens plants bloom best with some shade, a requirement that often leads to misunderstanding. While some impatiens bloom well in full shade, for the most part they’ll perform better with at least some sun. On the other hand, too much sun will cut down on blooming, too. Avoid planting your impatiens in full sun. If you have them in full shade and they’re not blooming well, try moving them to a spot that gets a few hours of good afternoon sun exposure. Another common cause of no flowers on impatiens is improper watering. If the roots of impatiens plants get waterlogged, the flowers will tend to drop off and the foliage will take on a red tinge. If you see this, cut back on your watering. Don’t cut back too far, though. You never want your soil to dry out completely. If your impatiens won’t bloom, it may also be due to over fertilization. A lot of fertilizers are high in nitrogen, which is great for foliage growth but bad for flower production. If you’ve been fertilizing heavily with nitrogen, stop feeding and give the plant a chance to balance its nutrients back out. Overzealous pruning may also be the cause for an impatiens with no flowers. Impatiens plants benefit from deadheading, but if you’re cutting back whole stems, you might accidentally be removing flower buds before they get a chance to open. On the other hand, if your impatiens plant is long and leggy and you don’t see lots of buds, pruning the stems back is actually a good option for encouraging new, bushier growth with new blossoms.

Year after year, many of us gardeners go out and spend a small fortune on annual plants to brighten up the garden. One annual favorite that can be quite pricey because of its bright flowers and variegated foliage is New Guinea impatiens. No doubt many of us have considered growing these higher priced plants by seed. Can you grow New Guinea impatiens from seed? Continue reading to learn about planting New Guinea impatiens seeds.

Can You Grow New Guinea Impatiens from Seeds?

Several varieties of New Guinea impatiens, like many other hybridized plants, do not produce viable seed, or they produce seed that reverts back to one of the original plants used to create the hybrid. This is why many plants, including most New Guinea impatiens, are propagated by cuttings and not by seed. Propagating by cuttings produces exact clones of the plant the cutting was taken from. New Guinea impatiens have become more popular than common impatiens because of their showy, colorful foliage, their tolerance of sunlight, and their resistance to some of the fungal diseases that can afflict impatiens. While they can tolerate more sunlight, they really perform best with morning sun and shade from the hot afternoon sun. In a perfect world, we could just fill a part shade bed or planter with New Guinea impatiens seeds, and they'd grow like wildflowers. Unfortunately, it's not that easy. That said, certain varieties of New Guinea impatiens can be grown from seed with a little extra care.

Seed Propagating New Guinea Impatiens

New Guinea impatiens in the Java, Divine, and Spectra series can be grown from seed. The varieties Sweet Sue and Tango also produce viable seed for plant propagation. New Guinea impatiens cannot tolerate any frost or chilly night temperatures. Seeds must be started in a warm indoor location 10 to 12 weeks before the expected last frost date in your area. For proper germination of New Guinea impatiens, temperatures should remain consistently between 70 and 75 degrees F. (21-24 C.). Temperatures above 80 degrees F. (27 C.) will produce leggy seedlings and also need an adequate light source to germinate. Seeds are planted at a depth of about ¼ to ½ inch (approximately 1 cm. or slightly less). Seed grown New Guinea impatiens take approximately 15 to 20 days to germinate.

Impatiens, also known as the touch-me-not plant, is a very popular flowering plant suited to garden beds and containers. Native to forest floors, it has to be grown in the shade to avoid being scorched by the sun. Sunpatiens is a relatively new impatiens hybrid that thrives in full sun and hot, humid weather, greatly expanding the area in which gardeners can spread impatiens color. Keep reading to learn more about how to plant sunpatiens and sunpatiens plant care.

What are Sunpatiens Plants?

Sunpatiens is a hybrid bred by the Japanese seed company Sakata. It is a careful combination of wild “traditional” impatiens (from a plant species native to Indonesia) with the larger, heat-loving Impatiens hawkeri, native to New Guinea. The result is a variety of impatiens that thrives in full sun and hot, humid weather, and blooms straight through from spring to autumn. It’s an excellent container and bedding flower for long lasting color. Interestingly, the Indonesian government agreed that Sakata may continue to use “indigenous genetic resources” from their country so more SunPatiens varieties may become available, but they must follow guidelines put in place by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). This essentially ensures the conservation of plant-rich countries, like Indonesia or South Africa.

Sunpatiens Plant Care

Growing sunpatiens plants is very easy and low maintenance. The plants prefer well-draining soil that’s rich in organic material. They grow very well in both containers and garden beds, and they like full sun or partial shade. For the first week or two after planting, they should be watered every day to get them established. After that, they need only moderate watering and can usually be revived from wilting with a good dose of water. Sunpatiens companion plants are any colorful flowering plants that also enjoy full sun. When growing sunpatiens plants, especially if grouping with other plant varieties, it’s important to know how much space you are looking to fill in. Sunpatiens plants come in three size categories: compact, spreading, and vigorous. Compact and spreading plants are both perfect for containers. (Compact plants stay small while the spreading ones fill out a hanging basket or pot spectacularly). Vigorous plants are best for garden beds, as they grow fast and fill out a space with bright color quickly and effectively.

Impatiens are a long-time favorite for adding splashes of color to shady beds. Blooming from spring until frost, impatiens can fill in the gaps between bloom times of shade perennials. Growing in little mounds no larger than one foot (31 cm.) tall and two feet (61 cm.) wide, impatiens can be tucked into bare areas in the shade garden. Their compact habit also makes them great for shady bedding plants or borders.

Companion Planting with Impatiens

Before getting into what to plant with impatiens, let me tell you what impatiens bring to the table as companion plants. Impatiens attract beneficial insects. As stated above, they add long-lasting, vibrant color to dark shady areas, and make excellent borders. Impatiens’ fleshy, succulent-like stems store water and make them drought resistant, so they do not compete with other plants for water and can be used in dry shade beds. As companion plants, the dense foliage of impatiens can keep the soil moist and cool for its companions.

Companion Plants for Impatiens

An old-fashioned favorite in the south is pairing impatiens with azaleas. Other shrub companion plants for impatiens are:

• Rhododendrons
• Holly
• Boxwood
• Yews
• Fothergilla
• Sweetspire
• Camellia
• Hydrangea
• Daphne
• Kerria
• Japanese pieris
• Mountain laurel
• Summersweet
• Witch hazel
• Spikenard

Older landscapes tend to just have yews or boxwoods planted in shady areas around the house. While it’s nice to have that evergreen effect throughout the winter, these beds can be quite boring in the summer when all the others are full of blooms. Impatiens can border these monotonous evergreen beds, adding the pop of color they need. In shade containers or flower borders, these make lovely companion plants for impatiens:

• Asparagus fern
• Sweet potato vine
• Coleus
• Caladium
• Begonia
• Fuchsia
• Elephant ear
• Bacopa
• Lobelia
• Wishbone flower

When companion planting with impatiens, their bright pink, red, orange, and white flowers beautifully add contrast to plants with dark or yellow foliage. Some perennial impatiens companions with dark foliage are ajuga, coral bells, and cimicifuga. A few yellow foliage perennials that nicely contrast impatiens include Aureola Japanese forest grass and citronella heuchera. Additional companion plants for impatiens are:

• Columbine
• Astilbe
• Ferns
• Forget-me-not
• Hosta
• Balloon flower
• Bleeding heart
• Jacob’s ladder
• Goat’s beard
• Monkshood
• Turtlehead

Impatiens are the most popular bedding plants in the country. Gardeners are wowed by their easy care and vibrant colors in the shade garden. You can find modern impatiens cultivars in colors right out of the crayon box, including red, salmon, orange, salmon, pink, purple, white and lavender. The one hue you don’t want see is an impatiens turning yellow.

My Impatiens Have Yellow Leaves

It’s a sad day in the garden when you see your impatiens getting yellow leaves. Generally, impatiens are disease-free annuals in the backyard beds, showing off healthy, dark-green leaves. The plant is, however, very sensitive to water stress. The key to healthy impatiens is to keep the soil moist at all times but never soggy. Overwatering and underwatering can result in the leaves of impatiens turning yellow.

What Causes Yellow Leaves on Impatiens

Aside from improper watering, a variety of pests and diseases can cause yellow impatiens leaves.

• Nematodes – One cause of yellow leaves is an infestation of nematodes, tiny, slender worms that live in the soil and attach the plants’ roots. If plants recover slowly after mid-day wilt, nematodes are probably what's causing the yellow impatiens leaves. Dig up the infected plants with surrounding soil and throw them in the garbage.
• Downy mildew – Another possible reason you see the leaves of your impatiens turning yellow is a fungal disease – namely downy mildew. Look for brown spots on the stems before you see the leaves getting yellow. Since impatiens are annuals, it doesn’t pay to use pesticides. Just dig up the infected plants and nearby soil and dispose of it.
• Botrytis blight – If in addition to saying “My impatiens have yellow leaves,” you find yourself saying “My impatiens have wilting flowers and rotting stems,” consider botrytis blight. Increase air space between the plants and offering lots of elbow room are the cultural steps to combat this infection.
• Verticillium wilt – A last possible cause for impatiens getting yellow leaves is verticillium wilt. For both this and botrytis blight, you can apply a fungicide specifically for impatiens.

Note: Any recommendations pertaining to the use of chemicals are for informational purposes only. Chemical control should only be used as a last resort, as organic approaches are safer and more environmentally friendly.

As gardeners, we face a lot of hurdles when it comes to keeping our plants alive and healthy. If the soil's wrong, the pH is off, there are too many bugs (or not enough bugs), or disease sets in, we've got to know what to do and do it right away. Bacterial or fungal diseases can be devastating, but they usually give us a fighting chance. Viroids and viruses are another story altogether. Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) is one of the most common viruses in the plant world. It's an intimidating diagnosis for your plants, but without understanding the disease, you'll never be able to manage it properly.

What is INSV?

INSV is an aggressive plant virus that can quickly infect greenhouses and gardens, and is especially common in impatiens plants. It results in total losses, since plants affected by impatiens necrotic spot virus are no longer marketable, cannot be used for seed-saving and can continue to spread the virus as long as they're present. Impatiens necrotic spot virus symptoms are highly variable, a fact that often delays gardeners' decision making about infected plants. They may develop yellow bull's eye markings, stem lesions, black ring spots and other leaf lesions, or infected plants may simply struggle to thrive. Once you suspect impatiens necrotic spot, treatment won't help - you must destroy the plant immediately. If many plants are infected, it's a good idea to contact your university extension office for testing to confirm the virus is present.

What Causes Impatiens Necrotic Spot?

Western flower thrips are the primary vector for INSV in the garden and greenhouse. These tiny insects spend most of their lives on or near the flowers of your plants, though you may never see them directly. If you've noticed black spots or areas where pollen is spread across the flower, western flower thrips may be to blame. Placing yellow or blue sticky cards throughout potentially infected areas are the best way to confirm your suspicions of an infestation. Having flower thrips is annoying, but if none of your plants are infected with INSV, they can't transmit the disease on their own. This is why it's so important to quarantine any new plants that come into close contact with your old plants. You should also clean your tools thoroughly between plants, especially if you are concerned about INSV. It can easily be transmitted via plant fluids, like those found in the stems and branches. Unfortunately, there's no easy answer for INSV. Practicing good tool hygiene, keeping thrips under control and removing suspect plants are the best ways to protect yourself from the heartbreak this disease brings with it.

What is a Congo cockatoo plant (Impatiens niamniamensis)? This African native, also known as parrot plant or parrot impatiens, provides a spark of bright color in shady areas of the garden, much like other impatiens flowers. Named for the clusters of bright, orange-red, and yellow, beak-like blooms, Congo cockatoo flowers grow year-round in mild climates. Read on for tips on how to grow Congo cockatoo impatiens plants.

How to Grow Congo Cockatoo Impatiens

Congo cockatoo impatiens tolerate temperatures as low as about 35 degrees F. (2 C.), but the plant won't survive even a light frost. Temperatures of 45 degrees F. (7 C.) and above are ideal for this tender perennial. Congo cockatoo impatiens prefer a location in full shade, especially if you live in a warm, sunny climate. Although the plant will grow in partial sunlight in a cool climate, it won't tolerate bright sunlight or hot summers. The plant performs best in rich soil, so dig in plenty of compost or well-rotted manure before planting.

Congo Cockatoo Care

Caring for Congo cockatoo impatiens is simple and this colorful, vigorous plant thrives with minimal attention. Water the plant regularly to keep the soil consistently moist but never soggy. As a general rule, one weekly watering is sufficient unless the weather is hot, but always water immediately if the foliage begins to look wilted. A layer of bark chips or other organic mulch keeps the roots moist and cool. Pinch the growing tips of newly planted Condo cockatoo impatiens to encourage full, bushy growth. Cut the plant back by 3 or 4 inches (8-10 cm.) if it begins to look tired and leggy in midsummer. Fertilize the plant twice during the growing season, using a general-purpose liquid or dry fertilizer. Don't overfeed because too much fertilizer creates a full, bushy plant at the expense of blooms. Always water immediately because fertilizer may scorch the roots.

Caring for Congo Cockatoo Plants Indoors

If you live in a cool winter climate, you can grow Congo cockatoo impatiens indoors in a pot filled with good-quality commercial potting mix. Place the plant in low or filtered sunlight. Keep the potting mix lightly moist by watering when the top of the soil feels dry, but never let the pot stand in water. Fertilize the plant twice during spring and summer, using a regular fertilizer formulated for indoor plants.

Impatiens are one of the standby color selections for shady regions in the landscape. They are also under threat from a water mold disease that lives in soil, so check those shade annuals carefully before you purchase. There is a tough disease of impatiens (called downy mildew) that is species specific and will kill the plants. It has the ability to overwinter in soil, making it a threat for years to come even if you don't bring in affected plants. One way to avoid issues is to use alternatives to planting impatiens and give the soil a chance to get rid of the harboring mold.

What are the Causes and Symptoms?

The impatiens fungus is caused by the pathogen Plasmopara obducens, which is very difficult to control. The fungus on impatiens plants forms in cool moist or humid conditions, generally in spring or fall. Ornamental impatiens and downy mildew go hand in hand in 30 states of the Union with only a few resistant varieties available. It affects both cultivated and wild impatiens, but not New Guinea impatiens. Downy mildew starts on the underside of the leaves and causes them to fade and develop stippling much like that seen with heavy spider mite feeding. The leaves get droopy and eventually white cottony spores will appear on the foliage. Eventually, all the leaves drop off and you have a skeleton of a plant. Without leaves, the plant can no longer feed itself with carbohydrates harvested through photosynthesis and it will wither and die. Any fungus on impatiens plants is contagious to other plants in the group but it does not affect any other ornamental species.

What to Do About Impatiens and Downy Mildew?

The impatiens fungus is actually not a fungus, but mildew, and as such doesn't respond to fungicides. There are applications that work as a pre-emergence but once the plant has the disease, there is nothing to be done except remove it from the garden. The mold is already in the soil by that point, and it is, therefore, unwise to plant impatiens again since the pathogen can overwinter and lurk until its preferred host is in range. Using plant alternatives for impatiens downy mildew is the best choice to prevent dying plants. There are many shade ornamentals that are suitable alternatives to planting impatiens.

Plant Alternatives for Impatiens Downy Mildew Prevention

Many shade ornamentals can provide the color and interest of impatiens without the danger of the mildew. Below are just a handful to choose from:

• Joseph's Coat comes in many hues and has notable foliage.
• Coleuses are also spectacular colorful leaved plants in tones from green to pink and yellow, plus many more in between.
• Fuchsia, begonias, and lobelias are all easy to find in nurseries with vast form and texture available.
• Elephant ears, Alocasia, and Oxalis are interesting and impactful foliage plants for shade.
• Scarlet sage and mealycup sage are forms of salvia and add dimension as well as color.

There are many more alternatives to planting impatiens that will provide the color and drama you require in your shade garden.

If you love the look of impatiens but your flower beds get strong sunshine for part of the day, New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) will fill your yard with color. Unlike classic impatiens plants, which are shade lovers, New Guinea impatiens flowers tolerate up to half a day of sun in most parts of the country. These colorful blooms come in bright shades from lavender to orange, spanning the rainbow with a choice of bedding colors. Caring for New Guinea impatiens is no more difficult than any other flower, as long as you keep the plants well-watered throughout the hottest parts of the year.

How to Grow New Guinea Impatiens

The thing to remember about New Guinea impatiens is that, although it will tolerate moderate amounts of sunshine, it still thrives in light shade. Flower beds on the east side of a building, which get morning sunshine and afternoon shade, are ideal locations for these plants. Fill the beds with mass plantings for the best look. Each plant will grow into a rounded mound, and if planted 18 inches (46 cm.) apart, they'll grow to fill in the entire space in a matter of weeks. Keep the plants in the front of the bed 12 inches (31 cm.) away from the edging to keep the front branches from growing onto the lawn or sidewalk.

Caring for New Guinea Impatiens

The best growing tips for New Guinea impatiens have to do with paying attention to small details. None of the varieties of this plant can tolerate drought very well, so keep the soil moist with soaker hoses or other watering devices. In hot summer months, this may mean daily watering that soaks deep into the ground. This plant can be a heavy feeder, so give it monthly feedings of a low-nitrogen plant food. This will encourage the plant to grow without discouraging any of the flower production. Once you know how to grow New Guinea impatiens, you'll find that it's a useful plant for planters and hanging baskets as well as for mass bedding. Move the containers each day to keep the plants in the shade for most of the day and you'll find they thrive in almost any planting group.

If you grow any flowers outdoors, the odds are good that you've grown impatiens. This cheerful flower is the most popular one grown in the country, and with good reason. It does well in shade as well as partial sun and works in planters as a hanging plant and in bedding. Impatiens make a strong impression when done in mass plantings, too, but it can be expensive to buy a large collection from a garden center. 

Learning how to grow impatiens from seeds is the best way to keep your landscaping plans while holding down the cost. Keep reading to learn more about impatiens seed propagation.

Propagating Impatiens by Seed

Impatiens is a slow-growing plant, and you'll need to start the seedlings about three months before your last spring frost. Impatiens seed germination can take up to 21 days, with most of the sprouting happening within the first two weeks. 

Some gardeners may try to save money by broadcasting the seeds over a tray, then transplanting the tiny seedlings once they grow leaves, but you'll reduce the chance of transplant shock if you start the seeds off in individual small pots or six-pack cells of their own. 

You'll have to transplant the seedlings to there anyway, so you might as well start them in their eventual home. Any empty cells from seeds that don't sprout are a small price to pay for healthier, sturdy impatiens.

Tips on Growing Impatiens from Seeds

Growing impatiens from seeds is a slow process, but a simple one. Fill each cell with a moistened commercial seed-starting mix, leaving a ½ inch (1 cm.) space between the top of the soil and the edge of the planter. 

Put the cells on a tray and fill the tray with water. Allow the mix to soak up water from the bottom until the top of the mix is moist. Pour the rest of the water out of the tray. Place two seeds on top of the soil in each cell and sprinkle a light dusting of mix over them. Mist the top of the cells with clear water. 

Cover the cells with plastic to keep in moisture and place it in a bright spot to sprout. Once the seeds have sprouted and have produced a pair of leaves, remove the plastic and place the tray filled with cells in a sunny south window. If you don't have a bright window available, grow the impatiens under fluorescent lights for 16 hours a day. 

Some garden experts argue that, while propagating impatiens by seed does need an initial burst of sunlight to wake up the seeds, they grow stockier and stronger if you then move them to a dark area. Experiment with this theory by leaving the seeds uncovered and in a bright, sunny window for the first two days.

Then, sprinkle the seeds with starting mix, cover with plastic and move them to a dark place to sprout. In addition to seed propagation, you may also propagate impatiens through cuttings.

Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), also called spotted touch-me-not, is a plant that flourishes in conditions that few others will tolerate, including deep shade and soggy soil. Although it is an annual, once established in an area, it comes back year after year because the plants self-sow vigorously. Having foliage that glistens and sparkles when wet gives this Native American wildflower the name jewelweed. Keep reading to learn more about growing wild jewelweed impatiens.

What is Jewelweed?

Jewelweed is a wildflower in the Impatiens family that is commonly grown as a bedding annual. In the wild, you can find dense colonies of jewelweed growing in drainage areas, on stream banks, and in bogs. Wild jewelweed impatiens plants assist wildlife like butterflies, bees, and several types of birds including many songbirds and hummingbirds. Jewelweed plants grow 3 to 5 feet (1-1.5 m.) tall and bloom from late spring to early fall. The orange or yellow flowers dotted with reddish brown spots are followed by explosive seed capsules. The capsules burst open at the slightest touch to fling seeds in every direction. This method of distributing seeds gives rise to the common name touch-me-not.

How to Plant Jewelweed

Choose a location in full or partial shade with rich, organic soil that stays wet or most. Jewelweed tolerates more sun in locations where summers are cool. If the soil lacks organic matter, dig in a thick layer of compost or rotted manure before planting. Jewelweed seeds germinate best when stored in the refrigerator for at least two months before planting outdoors. Scatter the seeds over the surface of the soil when all danger of frost has passed. They need light to germinate, so don't bury the seeds or cover them with soil. When the seedlings emerge, thin them to 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm.) apart by clipping out excess seedlings with a pair of scissors.

Jewelweed Plant Care

Jewelweed plant care is easy. In fact, it requires little care in areas where the soil stays wet. Otherwise, water often enough to keep the soil moist and apply a thick mulch. The plants don't need fertilizer in rich soil, but you can add a shovelful of compost in summer if they aren't growing well. Once established, the dense growth of plants discourages weeds. Until then, pull the weeds as necessary.

While impatiens plants are normally trouble-free, problems do occasionally develop. Therefore, taking preventative measures beforehand by providing appropriate conditions and being aware of the most common problems with impatiens flowers is crucial.

Environmental and Cultural Impatiens Problems

One of the most common problems with impatiens flowers is wilting. This is usually due to moisture stress. These plants need to be kept consistently moist, but not soggy. Water stress can also cause leaf and flower/bud drop. In addition to watering, wilting can be a result of heat stress, especially if the plants are in too much sun. If feasible, they should be moved or grown in a shadier location. Other impatiens problems are due to fertilization. Although they require little in the way of fertilizer each spring, not enough may lead to mottled looking foliage. On the other hand, too much nitrogen can cause excessive growth and little to no blooms. If non-blooming is an issue, this is usually the problem. Adding phosphorus to the soil should help correct the issue and encourage blooming.

Pest on Impatiens

There are many pests that can affect impatiens flowers. Spider mites, mealybugs, aphids, and thrips are common and usually result in curled, distorted, or discolored leaves. Thrips will generally attack the flowers/buds of plants and may carry a virus that affects these annuals. Another pest on impatiens is the tarnished plant bug, which can lead to dwarfed and deformed flowers. When plants become wilted, begin dying, and appear to be cut at the stems, it's likely due to cutworms. Neem oil is a safe and effective treatment for the majority of pest problems. Nematodes also attack these plants, which will look sickly, stunted, and wilted. Foliage may also turn yellow or bronze colored and slowly die. Plants need to be removed as well as the surrounding soil where these pests dwell. Solarizing plant beds and applying diluted fish emulsion when replanting will help keep them away.

Impatiens Flowers Disease

There are several impatiens diseases, including fungal blights and rots, viruses, and bacterial wilt. Most fungal issues are a result of wet foliage or overcrowding. Leaf spots and rotting can signal fungal problems. Avoiding wet foliage and ensuring adequate spacing can help. Neem oil can also help treat fungal issues. Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (INSV) can be a serious impatiens flower disease that is brought about by thrips. Also common is bacterial wilt, which is recognized by sudden wilting and collapse of plants, as well as oozing of stems when cut. Plants will eventually rot to the soil line and must be removed and discarded.

(Author of The Bulb-o-licious Garden) A common mainstay in many gardens either in containers or as bedding plants, impatiens are one of the easiest flowering plants to grow. These attractive flowers can be easily propagated as well. So if you're looking for an easy way to add more of these flowers to the garden, impatiens rooting takes little time or effort.

Rooting Impatiens Cuttings in Soil

Most of impatiens plants are propagated by cuttings. Choose a non-flowering stem on the impatiens with at least two leaf nodes and make a cut just below a node. Generally, impatiens stem cuttings are anywhere from 3 to 6 inches (8-15 cm.) in length. Although it's not required, the ends may be dipped in rooting hormone if desired. Insert each impatiens cutting in planting trays or pots filled with potting soil or a damp mix of vermiculite or perlite. Holes can be made beforehand using a pencil or even your finger. Be sure to pinch off any lower leaves on the impatiens cutting and then gently insert the cuttings into the soil. Water these generously and set them in bright, indirect light. Impatiens cuttings can also be placed directly in the garden. Just poke them right into the ground, preferably in a semi-shady location. It usually takes anywhere from a couple weeks to a month for impatiens rooting to take place. Once rooted, the plants can be transferred to their desired location.

How to Root Impatiens in Water

Impatiens rooting can also be achieved with water. In fact, impatiens cuttings root easily using this method. Simply remove any lower leaves and place the cuttings in a glass or vase of water, up to the first couple of nodes. Place it in a bright location out of direct sunlight, such as a well-lit windowsill. Replace the water daily or at least every other day to keep it fresh and clean. Once suitable impatiens rooting has taken place, the rooted impatiens cuttings can be transferred to another permanent location.

Impatiens Propagation with Seeds

While many people simply purchase new impatiens plants each year, it can be just as cost effective to propagate impatiens from seeds. Growing impatiens from seeds is easy. As opposed to buying impatiens seeds, use the seeds taken from the previous season. Seeds should be sown indoors at least six to eight weeks prior to the last expected frost in your area. Before planting, however, it's helpful to harden off, or acclimate, the young plants to outdoor conditions. To accomplish this, simply place them in a protected area outdoors, preferably in light shade, and then gradually increase the amount of light they receive over a period of several days.

Impatiens Flowers: Tips For Growing Impatiens

QUICK FACTS

• Botanical name - Impatiens walleriana
• Height - 12-24 in. (30-60 cm)
• Spread - 12-24 in. (30-60 cm)
• Sun exposure - Part to Full Shade
• Soil requirements - Slightly Acidic
• Hardiness zones - USDA Zones 10-11, annual elsewhere
• When to plant - Fall; Spring, after the last frost date

Impatiens are bright and cheerful annuals that can light up any dark and shady part of your yard with their colorful flowers. Because of that, they're among the most popular bedding annuals around. Ranging in color, these classic shade-lovers are sure to add appeal and beauty to flower beds.

About Impatiens

Impatiens flowers are prized for both their carefree growth habit and extended bloom time, which lasts throughout the entire growing season. They come in practically any color you could desire, though the most popular are orange, red, pink, and violet.

Growing impatiens is quite easy, but there are a few things to know about impatiens care. Let’s take a look at how to plant and how to grow these beloved flowers.

Are Impatiens Perennials?

Impatiens are tender perennials. The term "tender" indicates that they are unable to tolerate freezing temperatures. This means that they'll survive the winter… as long as your winter doesn't get cold.

That means the plant will only behave as a perennial in frost-free growing regions in USDA zones 10-11. Fortunately for those outside of these zones, impatiens can be grown outdoors as an annual flower. It also does very well as a houseplant.

Growing Impatiens Flowers

Impatiens are normally purchased as well-rooted plants from the garden center. They can also be propagated from seeds or cuttings very easily. When you bring your annuals home from the store, make sure that you keep them well watered until you get them in the ground. They are very sensitive to lack of water and will wilt quickly if they dry out.

You can incorporate impatiens into the landscaping in a flower bed or shaded border. You can also grow them as container plants. They look lovely in hanging baskets and window boxes on a porch or balcony.

How to Plant Impatiens

In late spring, once all danger of frost has passed, you can plant your impatiens out in your garden. Gently squeeze the container that you bought them in to loosen the soil. Invert the pot in your hand and the plant should fall out easily. If it doesn’t, squeeze the pot again and check for roots that may be growing through the bottom. Excess roots growing through the bottom of the pot can be removed.

Impatiens grow well in the shade, so find a shady spot to plant them. Amend your growing medium with compost or other organic matter to provide nutrients and encourage good drainage.

Place the impatiens plant in a hole that is at least as deep and wide as the rootball. The plant should sit at the same level in the ground as it did in the pot. Gently backfill the hole and water the it thoroughly.

You can plant impatiens flowers quite close to one another, 2 to 4 inches (5-10 cm) apart if you like. The closer they are planted together, the faster the plants will grow together to form a bank of lovely flowers.

They enjoy moist but well draining soil and partial to deep shade. They do not do as well in full sun, but if you would like to plant them in full sun, they will need to be acclimated to the harsher light. You can do this by exposing the impatiens plants to an increasing amount of sunlight over the course of a week.

Sun

Though impatiens have long been celebrated for their ability to withstand shady garden beds, they will require partial sun in order to bloom their best. While those that have been planted in full shade may grow well, you should expect a notable decrease in flower production.

Optimum conditions can be found in beds which receive bright, early morning sun. Shade throughout the afternoon and hottest parts of the day will be imperative to prevent wilt, sunscorch, and other heat-related issues. In especially warm regions, New Guinea varieties (Impatiens hawkeri) may be a better alternative to traditional walleriana types, for their improved tolerance to sun.

Water

Impatiens will grow best in beds that drain well. Still, consistent soil moisture will be key in keeping these flowers happy and healthy.

Once your impatiens are in the ground, they will need at least 2 inches (5 cm) of water a week. If the temperatures rise above 85 degrees F. (29 C), they will need at least 4 inches (10 cm) per week. If the area where they are planted does not receive that much rainfall, you will need to water them yourself.

Most gardeners can expect to water their impatiens on a weekly basis, depending upon the weather. Impatiens plants in containers or hanging baskets will need watering daily, and watering twice a day when temperatures rise above 85 degrees F. (29 C).

Extreme temperatures or prolonged dry spells may cause impatiens to become stressed, usually resulting in wilting or yellowing of leaves.

Fertilizer

When planted in a well-amended flower bed, application of fertilizer to annual impatiens is generally not required. However, many growers do find that the use of a general-purpose, slow-release fertilizer helps to improve overall health and bloom. Impatiens grown in containers often require more frequent fertilization, and may benefit from the use of water-soluble drenches or foliar feeds.

Pruning

Impatiens can be pruned or trimmed back as needed. Pruning may be necessary if plants have outgrown their containers or become leggy. Though faded flowers will drop from impatiens naturally, some gardeners may prefer to deadhead or remove old blooms to keep their beds looking tidy.

Problems

Impatiens have virtually no pest problems, but downy mildew disease is a frequent hazard. Initial introduction into the garden is caused by infected plants. The pathogen then spreads and manifests in the appearance of a whitish fuzz on leaves. Late in the season, the disease leads to yellowing and complete loss of impatiens plants. Severe instances of downy mildew have been of great importance in the introduction of newer mildew-resistant cultivars for the garden.

Varieties

​There are countless varieties of impatiens on the market. Here are a few of our favorites.

• ‘Beacon’ Series
• ‘Dazzler’ Series
• ‘Jewel’ Series
• ‘Magnum’ Series
• ‘SunPatiens’ Series
• ‘SunStanding’ New Guinea Impatiens Series