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Planting and Growing Impatiens

impatiens

Colorful impatiens!

Image Credit:
Klever_ok/Shutterstock
Botanical Name
Impatiens
Grown as
Tender Perennial
USDA Zones
10a
10b
11a
11b
Toxicity
Non-toxic
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun
Partial Shade
Shade
Water Needs
High
Height
Under 1 foot
Spread
1–3 feet
Soil pH
Acidic
Neutral
Bloom Time
Summer
Fall
Flower Color
Orange
Pink
Purple
Red
White
Yellow
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Hummingbirds
Attracts Pollinators
Plant Type
Flowers
Written By: Andy Wilcox Master Gardener and Gardening Contributor

Looking for a flower that thrives where others fade? If you want nonstop color in shady spots, it’s time to learn how to grow impatiens. These easy-care annuals light up porches, hanging baskets, and garden beds with vibrant blooms all season long. 

Whether you’re planting impatiens in containers or filling in a shaded border, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know for healthy, happy plants.

Impatiens are very popular as both a bedding and a hanging plant. Also called Busy Lizzies, these beauties are low-maintenance and don’t even need pinching! 

Of short to medium height, most impatiens varieties grow 8 to 15 inches tall, although some types reach 30 inches. They are perennials in frost-free areas but are grown as annuals or houseplants everywhere else.

Use impatiens for a splash of all-season color in any area that receives partial shade. Because of their shallow root system and low height, impatiens are ideally suited to containers like hanging baskets, window boxes, or deck railing planters. They also work well in the filler role in larger containers. 

Orange impatiens in a hanging basket.
Orange impatiens in a hanging basket. Credit: Yui Yuize

Planting

Impatiens are usually purchased from a nursery or as liners (small starter plants) from an online vendor. Most impatiens thrive in filtered or partial shade. Protection from the hot afternoon sun will help to maintain their colors. Some newer varieties grow well in sunny areas. 

When to Plant Impatiens 

Transplant impatiens well after the last spring frost, when night temperatures have stabilized above 40°F. Impatiens started from seed will need to be sown indoors about 12 weeks before your last frost date, so plan ahead.

Where to Plant Impatiens

  • Impatiens prefer humus-rich, moist, and well-drained soil.
  • Choose a location with some shelter from the wind.
  • Soil pH should be slightly acidic, in the 6.0-6.5 range, but they are not picky. Unless your soil is far from that zone, you won’t need to amend it to change the pH.
  • The closer impatiens plants are, the taller they will grow, so space accordingly (impatiens plants can grow anywhere between 6 and 30 inches tall). For flower beds, space plants 8 to 12 inches apart to keep them bushy and low to the ground.
  • Mix in compost or a slow-release fertilizer before transplanting.

How to Plant Impatiens

To transplant impatiens:

  • Harden off impatiens purchased from a greenhouse or nursery.
  • Work compost or well-rotted manure into the soil.
  • Make a hole slightly larger than the pot or container.
  • Remove the young impatiens, loosening any container-bound or girdling roots.
  • Tuck in your impatiens, firming the soil around it to prevent air pockets.
  • Water in well, and mulch.

To start impatiens from seed:

  • Prepare a tray or several pots with pre-moistened seed starting mix and compost.
  • Apply a light layer of vermiculite over the top of the soil mix.
  • Sow seeds directly on the surface of the vermiculite and tap or press lightly to ensure contact. Do not cover with soil.
  • Mist seeds with water.
  • Cover the tray or pots with a humidity dome or clear plastic to keep moisture in.
  • Place in a brightly lit area.

Seeds should germinate in 14 to 20 days. Remove the plastic when the second set of leaves appears. When seedlings are one inch tall, transplant them into individual pots or cells and grow out. Remember to harden them off before planting outdoors. 

Growing

Impatiens are not fussy and, if planted in the correct location, will thrive with little effort—one of the reasons they are popular.

  • The most important thing to remember about impatiens is to water them regularly. Keep the soil moist but not too wet. If the plants dry out, they will lose their leaves. If you over-water the plants, it encourages fungal diseases.
  • Container-grown impatiens will benefit from fertilizer applied every 2 weeks when watering.
  • Deadheading, while not strictly necessary, will improve their appearance and encourage more blooms.
purple New guinea impatiens flowers
New guinea impatiens flowers. Credit: Amam ka/SS

Overwintering Impatiens

Impatiens are hardy in Zones 10-12, but even a light frost will kill them. If you have a favorite color you’d like to overwinter, either take cuttings or dig up the plant and bring it inside. Depending on your available sunlight and day length, a grow light may be necessary.

Propagating Impatiens

Impatiens can be easily propagated from stem cuttings—a great way to get more of a favorite color or gift it to a friend. At the end of the growing season, taking cuttings and growing them over the winter may be easier than digging up entire plants and trying to keep them alive in the house. 

  • Inspect your plant to make sure it is pest-free.
  • Sanitize your shears with alcohol.
  • Choose several strong stems and snip them 4–6 inches below the bloom.
  • Remove the flower and all but the upper one or two pairs of leaves.
  • Place the cuttings in a clear glass container filled with clean water. If your water is treated by your municipality, let the water sit on the counter for 24 hours first to allow most of the chemicals to dissipate.
  • In a week or two, when fine white roots appear, transition the cuttings to the soil in one of two ways:
    • Plant them in individual pots filled with moist potting mix.
    • Add a bit of potting mix to your glass container daily until it is completely filled with soil after a week. After filling the jar with soil, remove the plants and repot.

Pests and Problems

Types

Ornamental impatiens are primarily from two groups, Impatiens walleriana and New Guinea impatiens, Impatiens hawkeri. The two look different, but growing them is pretty much the same. I. wallerina cultivars are less tolerant of sunshine than the New Guinea hybrids, and the latter has larger foliage. 

  • Lollipop series (I. walleriana) ‘Fruit Punch Rose’ is a compact, well-branched variety with superbly vivid colors. 
  • Tom Thumb Series (I. balsamina) is a dwarf variety with large, double, brightly colored flowers.
  • Beacon® impatiens are highly resistant to downy mildew and will keep blooming reliably until frost.
  • Swirl Series (I. walleriana) has pretty pink and orange flowers with petals in red.

Wit and Wisdom

  • The genus name, Impatiens, is a Latin word describing how its seeds shoot out of its pods when ripe (the slightest touch can make a ripe impatiens seed pod burst open and scatter its contents). 
  • Deer often find impatiens to be quite tasty. Consider the prevalence of four-legged garden pests when deciding where to plant these flowers.
  • Rose balsam (Impatiens balsamina) makes football-shaped pods that burst when touched, which is why their common name is touch-me-not. 

Flowers
Shade Gardening

About The Author

Andy Wilcox

Andy Wilcox

Master Gardener and Gardening Contributor

Andy Wilcox is a flower farmer and master gardener with a passion for soil health, small producers, forestry, and horticulture.

Read more from Andy Wilcox

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Comments

<span>Bradb</span> Sun, 09/01/2013 - 15:04
We are seeing a similar pattern in Denver of blossom and leaf loss, with some loss of stem rigor in some plants, but no sign of the white, downy underside of the leaves associated with descriptions of the fungus. Could it be something else? Something that is eating the leaves, perhaps?
<span>Dave Stoner</span> Fri, 08/23/2013 - 08:11
I have a pot of "Sun patiens" that have been doing nicely however the plants are growing and the stems look "leggie". Di I cut them back?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Sat, 08/24/2013 - 03:26

Impatiens can get leggy after baking in the summer heat; simply pinch or cut back the stems to force them to bush out.
You can cut back to three inches of the plant's base.When you remove the upper growth, the plant responds by opening the suppressed buds. This pruning will encourage a new flush of growth so that you can continue enjoying your plant.

 <span>Betty Salyers</span> Fri, 08/02/2013 - 15:00
We have several pots of Impatiens on our patio. Some, not all, are not doing real well. The ones that are OK are rally green and have lots of blooms. The others are very pale in color and aren't blooming. For the first 3-4 weeks after we planted them, they did great. Our patio is very shaded, so I don't think they are getting too much sun. We have had a very wet summer and mild (upper seventies to upper eighties) temperatures. The ones that are doing good seem to be somewhat protected by the eaves of the house, or by trees. The not so good ones seem to be getting more rain. Could this be the problem? We purchased all the plants from the same nursery, at the same time.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 08/02/2013 - 16:51

It seems likely that the healthy plants were protected from the heavy rains. Make sure that the pots have good drainage and that the soil is not too wet.

 <span>Renee Van Der Merwe</span> Fri, 08/02/2013 - 14:23
I recently purchased a hanging basket of Impatiens. They seem to be flowering well however there appears to be something attacking the leaves and petals leaving holes and killing the leaves. When i looked at the underside of the dying petals and leaves i noticed many were covered in spider webs and later noticed two or three spiders that appeared that have created vast webs below the leaves. Would the spiders be eating the plants? My reading tells me that spiders may not be the cause but i cannot see any other bugs. How do i get rid of the spiders and/or the bugs that may be responsible ?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 08/02/2013 - 17:19

You probably have spider mites. Spray the plant with water and try to wash off as much as you can of the webs and small spiders. Then spray with a dish soap water solution. You may need to do this several times.

 <span>Dawn Romo</span> Mon, 07/29/2013 - 21:30
I have been growing impatiens for years.This year, one section of plants has been sending out long, twining tendrils from the stems. Now clusters of tiny white flowers are appearing where the base of the tendrils were. I have never had this happen before. Mutants? The plants are healthy otherwise.
<span>Gardenloverbecky</span> Mon, 07/22/2013 - 11:47
hi. i bought an orange impatien about 1 month ago and i have planted it into a bedding area in the ground. there is a climber behind it but its not a small bedding area. for some reason a week after it started dying and all the flowers died. i thought it could be the heat and so kept it well watered but not too much. it then came back a bit and now is looking incredibly poor. hardly any leaves but does have new buds on it as if going to flower but is so droopy and sad looking.... could it be too much sun? it has sun from about 9am-2pm.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 07/25/2013 - 14:45

It's problem may not be of your doing. Impatiens downy mildew is ravaging these plants across the country, and one symptom is the apparent need for water. That, and yellow leaves and overall wilting. As far as we know, New Guinea and SunPatiens are the only type that are not susceptible to this disease. If this is the case, remove every scrap of it, and discard the remains but not in a compost pile. Do not also put new impatiens in its place, even the safe sort named above.

If your plant is not diseased, it may be that you overwatered it. Let it dry completely and see how it does. That is not too much sun. Water only when the ground is dry moving forward. We hope this helps.