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maryl_gw

Impatiens

There was an article in Horticulture magazine that had alot of different species of Impatiens other then the ones we are all familiar with. Has anyone grown these? I see that Annies Annuals (and Perennials) in California has a quite a few to select from during the season. Most of the pictures of the flowers show them as quite charming, but you know how that goes. You buy the plant and find out that yes, if you dig through the foliage, you might see a 1/2" sized bloom that vaguely resembles the pictures in the magazine.

Comments (6)

  • mxk3 z5b_MI
    15 years ago

    Do you have any names (botanical or common)?

  • Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    You are not allowed to post a link on the initial post so now I will. I've grown a pale yellow Impatiens in a hanging basket before, but the color was kind of blah when the heat arrived so I didn't save the label. This year I bought one that is mentioned in Horticulture as a hybrid series called Exotic Impatiens Fusion - HEAT (I think "Heat" may be the name of the color??? while Fusion is the name of the series). It's full of buds, but not blooming just now. Everyone in the south thinks of impatiens as liking the heat, but it's been my experience that they really enjoy the cooler weather better and that's when they can bloom in profusion. That's why I was curious about these newer intros - increased heat tolerance perhaps as well as being showy.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Annies Impatiens

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    15 years ago

    I grow Impatiens repens, which I hardly ever see around here, as bonsai. They are a cascading form with a bright red stem & very small leaves.
    {{gwi:19583}} This is the beginning of what is now a very believable little tree. ;o)

    Al

  • Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Wow Al! I blew up your picture and it's really beautiful. What sort of container is that? Is this the first bonsai you've ever done with Impatiens repens?..........BTW I found a picture of my Fusion 'Heat' along with the other colors available in this series. The Fusion series is a cross between the more common I. Walleriana and I. auricoma.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Fusion Impatiens

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    15 years ago

    Hi, Mary. It's a hand-made bonsai pot by Dale Cochoy of Wild Things Bonsai Studio in OH. I've grown quite a few little 'trees' from repens to give as gifts to my plant-loving friends. Double Impatiens make really cool bonsai, too, but you need to keep the blooms pruned off as soon as the buds form.

    I grow the peach frost Fusion in shade containers (when I can find it) combined with Asparagus setaceus/Asparagus plumosus (fern), misc. cascading coleus, and a begonia of unknown name that has a beautiful fluorescent red ring around the margins of a beautiful green and very pubescent leaf, and sometimes other shady fillers, depending on how large the container is.

    The only pictures I have are these from a couple of years ago. There's no coleus in this one because I hadn't yet discovered how much better it looked than the lamium. ;o) Remember please, that the planting is only a couple of hours old. You need to imagine what it might look like after a month of TLC. ;o)
    {{gwi:19584}}
    {{gwi:12158}}

    Al

  • Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    You have a real eye for combining plants in containers. In our long growing season, Impatiens quickly outgrow smaller pots so combining plants to last the season requires a really BIG pot. One of the newer things I'm trying is the succulent (less watering) combos in small pots (Hypertufa containers, troughs or shallow Bonsai pots for instance). With your creativity I can just imagine how good yours might look...Thanks for the info on Wild Things. I will check it out.