Growing Impatiens Flowers

Botanical Name: Impatiens balsamina and Impatiens walleriana hybrids

Growing impatiens flowers in containers allows you to enjoy a profusion of bright blooms just about anywhere. Brighten up a kitchen windowsill, sunroom or patio with these constant-blooming flowers.

Impatiens flowers are typically flat, with 5 petals and a prominent eye. You'll find them in a wide range of colors: pink, red, salmon, lavender, white and bicolors. Some varieties have double flowers that look like mini roses. Soft, oval leaves are held on succulent stems.

New Guinea impatiens (I. x hawkeri) feature a shrubby habit and large flowers. Part of the attraction with these New Guinea hybrids (shown below) is the foliage: lush, lance-shaped leaves are bold and often tinged with bronze, or splashed with bright green or yellow. They're perennials, but flower best in spring and summer.

How to Care for Impatiens

Shed some light. Impatiens won't bloom if they don't get enough light. When growing impatiens indoors, it can be challenging to find a spot where they'll get at least 4 hours of bright, indirect sun each day. If you don't have space near a sunny window, you can move your plant outdoors. Just keep it shaded from hot, direct sun in summer.

Water regularly. Keep the soil evenly moist, but not soggy. Flowering plants are thirsty, and they dry out quickly in containers, so check them often. Impatiens flowers will quickly wilt if they are allowed to dry out.

Deadhead spent blooms. Remove flowers as soon as they fade to keep plants looking their best and to encourage more blooms.

Repot plants. You'll get the most blooms by keeping your impatiens slightly pot-bound, so move up to a bigger pot only when the roots fill the pot. Repot in fall, after the flowering season is over. Use a pot with drainage holes to prevent overwatering, which can cause root rot.

Origin: South Asia, East Africa and New Guinea

Height: Up to 15 in (38 cm)

Light: Bright light; no direct sun in summer.

Water: Keep soil evenly moist, not soggy.

Humidity: Moderate humidity. Place pot on a tray of wet pebbles to raise the humidity around it.

Temperature: Average room temperatures 60-75°F/16-24°C

Soil: Peat moss-based potting mix, or any that's non-acidic.

Fertilizer: Feed every 2 weeks in spring and summer with a high-potassium liquid fertilizer diluted by half.

Propagation: Take 4 inch (10 cm) stem tip cuttings in spring or summer. They'll root easily in water or moist soil. Sow seeds in spring or early summer.