Impatiensis a plant grown in our climate as an annual, most often in garden beds, in window boxes or other containers. Depending on the species, Impatiens may have large decorative flowers or small almost imperceptible flowers. They mostly prefer shady and semi-shadowed locations. What else is worth knowing about care andgrowing impatiens ?
Impatiens
Impatiens belong to the family of Impatienaceae (Balsaminaceae), they are mostly annual plants. In Poland, these are mainly ornamental varieties, although we also have naturally growing impatiens.
A characteristic feature of impatiens is the way they spread.These plants produce bags which, under high pressure, eject seeds long distances, this type of seeding is called autochorism. The ejection of seeds is sometimes caused by a gust of wind, or by touch (e.g. an animal accidentally rubs against an impatiens bag while passing by a plant) hence their name: impatience, from impatient behavior.
Impatiens - recommended species
Impatiens Walleriana(Impatiens Walleriana)
It comes from tropical Africa and Zanzibar, where it grows to a height of 60 cm. In Poland, it is a popular and easy-to-grow plant with fleshy and juicy stems. The leaves are lanceolate to oval. The flowers are numerous, flat, with a spur and a central eye. Impatiens can have white, pink, red, carmine, salmon, orange and even lavender flowers, there are also varieties with two-color shelters. It is worth knowing that the plant can bloom all year round.
Impatiens Valerian prefers fertile, medium-compact and moderately moist soil, likes sunny positions, where it blooms more abundantly. The seeds should be sown in March in a warm greenhouse, then the seedlings are picked up into multi-pot pallets, from which the seedlings will go to the ground in mid-May. When summer is cool and rainy, plants often die. It is also possiblegrowing ImpatiensWallerian in a container - then in summer it should be fertilized every 2 weeks with a fertilizer rich in potassium.
Impatiens balsamina(Impatiens Balsamina)
This impatiens grows wild in central India and China, where it can reach heights of up to 70 cm. The stems are thick, succulent, and the leaves are lanceolate with serrated edges, densely planted over the entire stem. The flowers, 2-3 cm in diameter, are crest-shaped, pink and set individually in the leaf axils on short pedicels. It blooms in July and August.
The cultivation and care requirements are the same as for Wallerian impatiens, except that balsamina impatiens are not suitable for indoor cultivation, it is a plant for flower beds, balconies and terraces.
Impatiens hawkeri(Impatiens hawkeri)
Wild is found in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. In our country, it is exclusively an ornamental plant grown outdoors or indoors. This impatiens has a short stem and therefore does not reach exceptional sizes. It grows up to several centimeters in height. The flowers are large and strongly colored, with 5 petals, about 5 cm in diameter. New Guinea impatiens bloom in many colors, ranging from white, pink, through orange, to red.
Impatiens
Growing impatiensnowogwinejskiego is very simple. Faded flowers should be removed and regularly watered and fertilized. The New Guinea impatiens are shade-loving plants, therefore they feel good in partial shade, the soil for them should be fertile and permeable.
Small-flowered impatiens(Impatiens parviflora)
It is a plant that has grown wild in Northeast Asia and Eastern Europe. In our country, it was initially introduced to botanical gardens, from which it began to be sown wildly. Currently, it is a ruderal plant, it is treated like a weed. The small-flowered impatiens grows mainly along pedestrian routes, streets, it is the undergrowth of forests and shrubs, it prefers deciduous forests, it also occurs in cemeteries and city parks. This impatience can be found almost everywhere. It is not a particularly ornamental plant, therefore it is not bred in any varieties. It prefers shaded to semi-shaded positions, and dries up in full sun. It reaches a maximum height of 60 cm.
Impatiens noli-tangere
This species is found wild in almost all of Europe, North America and Asia. In our country it is very common, it occurs almost everywhere except in the higher mountain parts.Growing this impatiensin our climate is therefore not complicated.It is an annual plant that reaches a maximum height of 180 cm. The stem is strong, thickened, sometimes two centimeters in diameter. This species takes root shallowly, making it easier to remove. The flowers are small, usually 2-3 cm, yellow, lighter or darker in color. Like all impatiens, it also reproduces autochtorically, i.e. by throwing seeds out of its fruits under pressure. Common impatiens prefer shady habitats, in deciduous or coniferous forests. This impatiens is sensitive to frost, therefore it dies completely with the first frost.
