Impatiens Flowers Facts: Know Their Benefits, Habitat, And More

Impatiens plants are not the sensitive type and they produce abundant brightly colored flowers from summer to fall. They are distributed mostly in the Northern Hemisphere and the tropics.

When the seed pods are slightly touched, they explode and send their pods to great heights. This is the magic of their seeds. Flowers have a variety of beautiful colors like orange, pink, blue, yellow, red, and many more.

Impatiens plants are short plants and should not be exposed to excessive water since they are tropical plants. All tropical plants run into pulp when exposed to frost, and they are useful in humid weather conditions. Impatiens do not need to be cleaned as they remove their withering blooms themselves.

Impatiens plants are shade-loving plants. In the U.S., they act as a shady ground cover. They produce succulent stems and long elliptical leaves. They can be grown in garden beds, flower pots, hanging baskets, and window boxes. We can plant impatiens plants outdoors and indoors.

Impatiens originates from the Latin word ' impatient' because it immediately reacts by dispersing seeds from its ripe pods when touched. Impatiens are therefore called 'touch me nots'. Seeds and plant cuttings are used to regrow impatiens.

Soniya Haris has been a master gardener and an award-winning landscaper of the Bullock Garden Project in New Jersey, she also has a long-standing interest in gardening. 

Types Of Impatiens

There are numerous species available, from traditional to modern types of impatiens flowers available on the markets. For example, the jungle gold, the New Guinea, and a variety of others.

Impatiens are available in various sizes, from 6-24 in (0.1-0.6 m) high. The leaves are dark green to light green, and some have bronze-tinted leaves. They are bushy in form and have succulent stems. These bedding plants have almost no maintenance and are suitable for small or large landscapes.

The yellow impatiens, jungle gold, have a buttery gold yellow tinge with a red-streaked throat. This newcomer needs less water than traditional impatiens. These impatiens can be single, double, and semi-double blooms, and the double blooms resemble miniature roses. Impatiens are also called 'busy Lizzy's because they grow abundantly and produce brightly colored flowers throughout the summer.

In the wilderness, they can be found in roadside ditches and river banks. The leaves are shiny and pulpy, and they grow well only in moist and fertile soil in shady areas. Among these flowers in this family, a majority of them are native to Africa.

In New Guinea, impatiens have commercial value as garden plants. Walleriana is a particular type grown in East Africa. Some varieties of impatiens were used for hair coloring in ancient China. Impatiens plants get fungal diseases when they are overwatered, and these plants are very sensitive to heat.

There is a poisonous Impatiens flower called Mimosa Pudica. Some species can remedy various diseases like skin rashes, skin bites, stinging nettle rashes, and other skin issues. For example, blasmina impatiens are useful in treating torn nails, wounds, and skin diseases.

A rare type called orange jewelweed was transported in the 19th and 20th centuries. Impatiens are used for henna as a dye in hair coloring. Impatiens petals are crushed and mixed with alum, roses, and orchids to make nail polish.

Habitat And Growing Seasons

Impatiens originated in the eastern parts of the African regions. It is a plant with short succulent stems and bearing brightly colored blossoms in variant shades. It grows from seeds and stem cuttings. Impatiens are plants that prefer shade and very less water.

Impatiens are plants that love the shade, and hence heat above 85 F (29 C) is not suitable for them to grow. Therefore, impatiens transplants should only be planted after the final spring frost. Impatiens are popular garden plants grown annually in fertile soil.

Impatiens flowers bloom from May to August. They are moisture-loving plants and they grow well in garden beds, containers, and pots. In ancient China, impatiens were used in dyes to make henna for hair coloring.

Impatiens are seasonal plants found only during the spring season as conditions are favorable for these plants to grow and bloom. They are very good houseplants and excellent flowering ones.

Caring Tips

Impatiens are suitable for large and small landscapes as they are low-maintenance bedding plants. Traditional impatiens needed more water than the newcomers. The pink flowers brighten dark and dreary corners of households or offices.

With sufficient water, impatiens thrive in the shade. In late summer, the upper portion of the plant is removed, which helps with new flowers blooming. Sharp, sterile scissors are used to prune impatiens in summer.

Grow impatiens flowers with enriched organic material in well-drained soil. They can grow well on shady areas and well-drained water soils. The soil should be just moist enough but not too moist.

Impatiens will need two inches of water a week once planted in the ground, and they can grow well in shady areas and well-drained soils. 

Impatiens easily grow in moist, well-drained soil in semi-shady or shady locations. If planted in too cold soil, these plants will die away for the full growing season. After planting, the stems are pinched back to encourage bushier growth.

A slow-release fertilizer keeps plants flowering from spring through fall. Flourishing impatiens that are healthy will generate hundreds of blooms per plant.

Impatiens flowers thrive well in pots and hanging baskets that let out excess water from the bottom of the pots. Though they are easy to maintain, much depends on landscaping with a long-standing interest and knowledge in gardening.

In 2004 in North America, the common mild dew destroyed the breeding productivity of the nursery industries. Pathogen Piamopara caused this disease, and Americans completely banned the commercial selling of impatiens.

By 2019, the impatiens standard grew as people produced mild dew tolerant hybrid varieties. Apart from this, impatiens are also susceptible to fungal diseases, viruses, and decay. Mostly these problems occur in humid and wet weather conditions.

FAQs

How long do impatiens flowers last?

Impatiens flowers last for about a week.

What do impatiens flower symbolize?

Impatiens flowers symbolize 'motherly love.'

How did the impatiens flower get its name?

Impatiens flower came from the Latin word 'impatient,' referring to the quick seed discharge.

Do impatiens grow in the Sun?

Impatiens generally do not grow in the Sun as shade-loving plants, except for a variety known as sun impatiens, this flower prefers some heat from the Sub.

Do impatiens bloom all summer?

No. Impatiens do not bloom all summer.

Are impatiens poisonous?

Not all impatiens are poisonous, except a few like mimosa pudica.

Why are impatiens called 'touch me nots?'

Impatiens are called 'touch me notd' because they burst when touched.