How To Grow and Care for Impatiens

Impatiens walleriana, also called balsam, busy lizzie, sultana, or just impatiens, are shade-tolerant flowering perennials prized for their continuous blooms, easy maintenance, and broad color options.

In this article, we’ll cover all you need to know about growing and caring for your impatiens, from choosing the right location to feeding and propagation. 

Understanding Impatiens

Once a classic garden staple across the U.S., impatiens only recently bounced back from near decimation. In 2011, a severe outbreak of downy mildew started to devastate impatiens populations around the globe. That devastation continued until 2019 when horticulturists unveiled downy mildew-resistant impatiens walleriana.

Today, you can find these disease-resistant perennials at most gardening centers and greenhouses:

• Beacon series by PanAmerican Seed: A highly downy mildew-resistant impatiens available in bright red, coral, orange, salmon, violet, and white. 
• Imara XDR series by Syngenta Flowers: “XDR” is short for “extra disease resistance.” The Imara series is available in white and various shades of orange, pink, purple, and red. 

Each thrives in full shade or partial sun and needs minimal maintenance.

Impatiens Characteristics

Impatiens typically form mounds about 12 inches high and 12 inches wide, making them ideal for borders, containers, and mass plantings. They produce delicate, flat flowers in various shades with solid or bi-color petals. The leaves are usually dark green and glossy, contrasting with the blooms.

Choosing the Right Location for Impatiens

The success of your impatiens largely depends on where you plant them. These plants have specific light and soil needs to thrive.

Ideal Sunlight Conditions

Impatiens prefer areas with shade or partial shade. While they can tolerate some morning sun, avoid exposing them to harsh afternoon sunlight, which can scorch their delicate foliage and flowers. In regions with cooler summers, they can handle a bit more sun, but it’s safer to provide plenty of shade.

Soil Requirements

Impatiens do best in well-draining, fertile soil rich in organic matter. They like consistently moist soil but can’t handle being waterlogged. Before planting, work compost or well-rotted manure into the soil to enhance its structure and nutrients.

Soil pH

Impatiens thrive in slightly acidic to neutral soil, with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5. If your soil is too alkaline, you can lower the pH by adding sulfur or peat moss. If it’s too acidic, raise the pH with lime. Always test your soil before making adjustments to ensure optimal growing conditions.

Planting Impatiens

Proper planting techniques help establish healthy impatiens that will bloom throughout the growing season.

When To Plant

The best time to plant impatiens is after the last frost and once the soil has warmed up, usually in late spring or early summer. In areas with mild winters, you can plant impatiens in the fall for winter and spring blooms.

How To Plant

We recommend following these steps when planting your impatiens:

1. Prepare the soil by loosening it to a depth of about 6 inches and mixing in compost.
2. Dig holes slightly larger than the root balls of your plants.
3. Gently remove the plants from their containers and place them in the holes at the same depth they were growing in the pots.
4. Backfill with soil and firm gently around the plants.
5. Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil around the roots.

Space plants 8–12 inches apart to allow for good air circulation and room to grow.

Caring for Your Impatiens

Proper care keeps your impatiens healthy and blooming all season long.

Watering Needs

Impatiens require consistent moisture but are prone to root rot if they’re overwatered. Water deeply when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. In hot weather, they may need watering daily. Mulching around the plants can help hold moisture and reduce watering frequency.

Fertilizing Schedule

Feed your impatiens regularly to promote continuous blooming. Use a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every two or three weeks during the growing season. Alternatively, you can use a slow-release fertilizer at the beginning of the season. Follow the package instructions for the correct application rates.

Managing Pests and Diseases

Even with disease-resistant varieties, it’s important to watch out for potential problems.

Common Pests

Pests like aphids, spider mites, thrips, and whiteflies affect impatiens. Regularly check your plants for signs of infestation. If you find pests, treat them quickly with insecticidal soap or neem oil.

Preventing Impatiens Downy Mildew

Although the new varieties are resistant, we recommend taking the following precautions to prevent downy mildew:

• Avoid overhead watering, which can spread spores.
• Rotate impatiens with other shade-loving plants every year.
• Ensure good air circulation with proper spacing.
• Remove and destroy any infected plants immediately.

Impatiens: Pruning and Maintenance

Here’s how you can maximize your impatiens’ bloom potential and encourage overall growth.

Deadheading

Impatiens are self-cleaning plants, meaning they naturally drop spent blooms. But occasional deadheading can improve their appearance and encourage more blooms. To do this, simply pinch off faded flowers at the stem.

Encouraging Bushier Growth

To prevent your impatiens from getting too leggy, pinch back the growing tips of young plants when they reach about 4 inches in height. Continue pinching back occasionally to maintain a compact shape. If plants become too leggy, trim them back by about a third to encourage new growth.

Propagating Impatiens

You can propagate impatiens by growing from seeds or taking cuttings, both of which are easy methods to expand your garden or share with friends.

Growing From Seeds

Here’s how to grow impatiens from seeds:

1. Start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost date.
2. Use a sterile seed-starting mix and keep the soil consistently moist.
3. Provide bright, indirect light and keep temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Transplant seedlings outdoors after hardening them off.

Taking Cuttings

Propagating from cuttings is a quick way to produce new plants. Here’s how to do it:

1. Take stem cuttings measuring 4–6 inches long from mature, healthy plants.
2. Remove the lower leaves and dip the cut end in rooting hormone.
3. Plant the cuttings in a well-draining potting mix.
4. Keep the soil moist and provide indirect light until roots form. This usually takes between two and three weeks.

Using Impatiens in Landscaping

Impatiens adapt equally well to in-ground flower beds and contained environments. However, their maintenance requirements will differ slightly depending on where you plant them. Let’s take a look at those differences.

Bedding Plants

In garden beds, impatiens create beautiful mass plantings or borders. They also work well as understory plants beneath trees or shrubs and can brighten up shady corners of the yard.

To care for impatiens in the ground, keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, and apply a layer of mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Fertilize them with a slow-release granular fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season to support healthy growth and abundant flowering.

Container Gardening

Impatiens excel in containers, hanging baskets, and window boxes. You can plant them alone or incorporate other shade-loving plants. 

Your planters need to have adequate drainage holes, and you should use a high-quality potting mix. Water them consistently (container soil can dry out quickly) and feed them with a balanced liquid fertilizer every two weeks to promote color. Regularly pinch back spent flowers to encourage continuous flowering and keep them looking tidy. 

Companion Planting With Impatiens

Impatiens pair well with other shade-loving plants. Here are our top recommendations for impatiens companions:

• Begonias: Shade-happy begonias feature colorful leaves and flowers that complement impatiens thematically.
• Caladiums: Their heart-shaped leaves come in various colors, making caladiums ideal for eclectic and bright displays. 
• Coleus: Known for their vibrant foliage, coleus plants will add color and texture.
• Ferns: These lush, green plants provide a soft and feathery contrast to the bright blooms of impatiens.
• Hostas: Hostas thrive in shady conditions. Their large, leafy foliage creates an impressive backdrop for impatiens.

When companion planting, be sure that all plants have similar light and water requirements for the best results.

Growing Impatiens: Cost Considerations

Impatiens are generally an affordable option for gardeners. Prices vary based on the variety and size of the plants. In the U.S., a flat of 48 impatiens seedlings typically costs between $15 and $25, while individual 4-inch potted plants range from $3–$6 each.

Disease-resistant varieties like Beacon or Imara XDR cost between 10% and 15% more than traditional impatiens. Park Seed lists both Beacon and Imara XDR impatiens at $6.95 for a 30-seed packet and $29.95 for 500 seeds.*

*Cost information in this article sourced from The Home Depot, Lowes, and Park Seed.