Impatiens plants are often used for bedding, as they produce vibrant, plentiful blooms and can grow in shady locations.
Impatiens are perennials that grow in tropical areas, but they tend to form more as annuals, filling gardens with color from spring through fall.
Regular impatiens flowers grow in lots of colors, like red, purple, violet, and yellow. Some of these are more common, like Impatiens walleriana, but there are lots of other Impatiens flowers that you may not have seen before.
We’ve included some of these flowers in this post. Many of these are ideal for growing in home gardens and indoor, small pots.
Keep reading to find out more about these gorgeous Impatiens flowers!
1. Impatiens Bicaudata
This unique, rare Impatiens flower originates from Madagascar. Impatiens bicaudata doesn’t look like common Impatiens, as it has multicolor blooms that resemble crested birds. This plant is very strong and can grow as much as six feet tall!
Impatiens bicaudata produces lots of blooms during the year, making the plant a flashy, noticeable piece. It’s a perennial that has a rigid, shrubby growth pattern.
It has red stalks that turn woody as they mature. These can turn very thick, as some can grow as wide as 4 inches at the bottom!
Impatiens bicaudata produces hooded blossoms that are slightly over an inch long, which grow during most months of the year.
These can look pinker when grown in warmer, indoor conditions, while in cooler climates, like San Francisco, they can appear redder. The flowers have noticeable red and yellow marks inside, as well as vivid purple pollen.
Impatiens bicaudata originates from a location with a mild climate throughout the year, with cool night temperatures. It needs to be protected against freezing temperatures and prefers bright filtered light.
It needs to be kept away from strong, afternoon sunlight.
2. Impatiens Balsamina
Garden balsam is an annual plant that originates from Asia. This plant has rigid stalks that grow pale green, lance-shaped leaves with jagged edges.
This plant looks different compared to more common impatiens, as its scarce stalks produce big, double flowers. This is unlike the flat blooms that grow on common impatiens.
Impatiens Balsamina’s cup-shaped blooms can grow one to three inches wide. They start growing in late spring and continue growing until the frost comes in during fall. The blooms can be one or several colors, while some others can be spotted.
Garden balsam is simple to grow and doesn’t need much maintenance to keep them flowering throughout the season. These plants do best in moist conditions, but if they begin to wilt in hot summer temperatures, they usually bounce back.
Garden balsam isn’t known as an invasive plant in North America, but it is known as an invasive species in other countries around the world. It’s self-seeding nature and rapid growth patterns can make it spread fast throughout a garden.
Be cautious of using this Impatiens in mild winter climates, unless you’re planning to keep a close eye on it.
3. Impatiens Niamniamensis
Also known as the Parrot Impatiens, this type of Impatiens produces abundant flowers with an interesting appearance. Its extraordinary flowers droop all over the plant, resembling tropical birds.
The Parrot Impatiens is a perennial that originates from tropical Africa. It generally grows between two and three feet tall, though some can grow even taller.
Its brown stems and thick growth pattern look like wood. Unlike other Impatiens, its stems are flexible, producing large, shrimp-like flowers in many months of the year.
These big bicolor flowers come in shades of yellow and red, along with a bright green hood.
The Parrot Impatiens does best in conditions between 50 and 50°F. It can handle warmer temperatures if the nights are cooler, but hot days and nights may stress it. It can endure temperatures as low as 35°F, but it won’t be able to handle any frost.
This plant can grow well in indoor conditions, so it’s a nice choice for a unique, vibrant houseplant. It does best in moist, well-draining soil and bright, filtered sunlight conditions.
4. Impatiens Tinctoria
This type of impatiens is a rare plant that originates from African rainforests. This plant usually grows between four and five feet tall. If the plant grows in the right conditions, it can reach as high as eight feet in height, so it’s a very large plant!
Also known as Dyers Busy Lizzie, this perennial plant produces oval, ridged, green leaves that can reach 10 inches in length. The plant produces orchid-like white blooms that grow up to three inches wide.
These have distinct red marks that form just above the green foliage.
Impatiens tinctoria doesn’t like summer heat. It likes shady conditions with fertile soil. It’s best to grow the plant in partially shaded areas in moist, well-draining soil. This makes it ideal for moist, shady areas in cottage gardens, beds and borders, and containers.
Prized for its distinct flowers in both outdoor and indoor conditions, Impatiens tinctoria is a nice choice for shaded home gardens.
5. Impatiens Glandulifera
Also known as Policeman’s Helmet, this plant became invasive after it was introduced to the northern hemisphere. As it is an intrusive plant, it’s banned in the European Union and areas in the United States.
Himalayan Balsam can grow between three and six feet tall. It has delicate, upright stems with a red, purple hue. Their egg-shaped leaves can reach three inches wide and six inches long. The leaves also have serrated edges with under 20 teeth on either side.
This plant produces irregular, pink-purple blooms that flower between July and October. It’s known for its volatile seed pods that can eject their seeds a great distance away.
Just one plant can create and disperse as many as 2,500 seeds, which makes it difficult to control its spread.
Even though it is an invasive species, its nectar is a great food source for pollinators and bees. It’s also used as traditional medicine in some countries around the world, used to treat wounds, burns, and rheumatism.
6. Impatiens Capensis
Impatiens capensis goes by several names, including orange balsam, spotted touch me not, and jewelweed. This North American species comes from the Balsamainaceae family, originating from mid-western and eastern areas in Canada and the United States.
This annual plant can grow as tall as five feet in height, producing fleshy stems with a red gue. Its bright green leaves are oval, with toothed, serrated edges. The blooms are yellow or orange, flowering between July and October.
This plant is known for its medicinal uses. Native Americans and early European settlers used the plant to treat several skin conditions. Some believe that the plant’s juices have anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties.
Impatiens capensis is a beautiful plant that works well in landscaping. You can grow it in damp locations, like beside streams and ponds, in bog gardens, or in shaded areas in your garden.
If you decide to grow it, give the plant partially shady conditions and moist, well-draining soil.
7. Impatiens Namchabarwensis
Also known as Blue Diamond, Impatiens namchabarwensis originates from Tibet and was only discovered recently in 2003. This impressive plant produces distinct blooms that change color, depending on the surrounding conditions.
It’s a low-growing type of plant that can grow up to ten inches tall and spread up to 12 inches wide. As it is so compact, it’s a nice choice for border plants and container gardening.
It does best in full to partially shady conditions and favors constantly moist soil.
This plant produces gorgeous violet-blue blooms that form throughout summer. These double-petalled flowers can reach up to two inches wide and produce a pleasant, sweet aroma. This fragrance lures in pollinators, like bees and butterflies.
Impatiens namchabarwensis is typically an easy-care plant, so it’s a nice choice for beginner gardeners, as well as those with more gardening experience. It favors damp, well-draining soil, and needs to be watered frequently to avoid wilting.
If you’re thinking of using this Impatiens variety in your home garden, consider fertilizing it regularly, as this will encourage plentiful blooms.
8. Impatiens Parviflora
Also known as Small Balsam, Impatiens parviflora produces smaller blooms, but it can grow between 8 and 24 inches tall. The plant is a short-lived perennial or an annual, depending on where it grows.
It originates from temperate areas in Asia and Europe, but has been brought into different countries for decorative purposes.
It produces oval, toothed leaves with a light sheen. The blooms are only around a centimeter wide and come in white, lilac, and pink colors. They form between June and September and are often pollinated by insects, like bumblebees.
Despite its ornamental uses, the plant is considered a weed in the US, as its seeds can easily spread outdoors. In some areas, it’s advised to manually remove it with herbicides, particularly before it begins to form seeds.
A small exception is when it is kept as an indoor plant, as the grower takes action to prevent the seed pots from maturing.
Final Thoughts
Impatiens flowers are a diverse, beautiful group of plants that are available in several colors, sizes, and shapes. Many of these are more common, but several varieties can often go overlooked.
Some of these are perfect for adding to your garden, while others, despite their beauty, are weeds that shouldn’t be left to grow. Keep an eye out for these attractive Impatiens varieties and consider using some to add some color to your home!
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