Syngenta
Family
Balsaminaceae
Botanical Name
IMPATIENS walleriana 'Shimmer Bright Eye'( SHIMMER SERIES)
Plant Common Name
New Guinea Impatiens
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
Good old busy lizzy is a shade-loving bedding plant that everyone knows and loves. Surprisingly, this common “annual” is actually a bushy tender perennial in its native East Africa and will survive winters in tropical and sub-tropical zones. It blooms continuously if conditions are favorable and has fleshy, tender stems and leaves that quickly wilt when water is lacking and perk up just as fast when it’s available.
Busy lizzy is bushy and upright with lance-shaped to elliptical leaves that come in various shades of green, sometimes with reddish or purplish tints. It produces many broad, flattened, five-petaled flowers all season. The butterfly-pollinated flowers have spurs in the back that hold nectar. Cultivars may have single or double flowers that come in a wide array of colors, including bicolored selections. Height is also cultivar dependent. The blooms need not be deadheaded and are followed by bulbous, green, striated seed capsules that explode to spread their seeds when mature.
Full to partial shade is ideal for Impatiens, though they can withstand more sun where summers are cool. They grow and bloom to their fullest if grown in moist, humus-rich soil with good drainage and given a slow release fertilizer formulated for garden flowers. When weather conditions are dry, they need supplemental water. If given the right care, they are very easy to grow. Disease problems includes botrytis blight, which is a fuzzy grayish brown mold that attacks plants when conditions are too humid, and Impatiens necrotic spot virus, which causes black ring spots on the leaves.
Impatiens can be planted in any shaded spot where color is needed. They are also excellent for containers and hanging baskets. In the north they are grown as summer bedding annuals, and in southern and western locations they are commonly planted for winter color.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
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USDA Hardiness Zone
10 - 15
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Sunset Zone
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Tender Perennial
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Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial Shade, Full Shade
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Height
8"-24" / 20.3cm - 61.0cm
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Width
10"-24" / 25.4cm - 61.0cm
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Bloom Time
Indeterminate
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Native To
Eastern Africa
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
White, Red, Purple, Pink, Magenta, Rose, Salmon, Coral, Peach, Burgundy
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Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
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Fruit Color
Green
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green, Burgundy
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green, Burgundy
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Green
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single, Double
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Repeat Bloomer
Yes
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Glossy
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Evergreen
Semi-Evergreen
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Usage
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Tropical
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
No
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Self-Sowing
Yes
