Busy Lizzie

Sun

Partial shade or bright, filtered shade; gentle morning sun is suitable. Protect from strong afternoon sun, especially in hot climates.

Water

Keep evenly moist but not waterlogged. Check containers daily in warm weather; plants wilt quickly when dry.

Soil

Moisture-retentive, humus-rich soil with good drainage; slightly acidic to neutral soil is ideal.

Height

0.5-2 ft (0.15-0.6 m)

Spread

0.5-1.5 ft (0.15-0.45 m)

Flowers

Late spring to autumn, usually until frost; potentially much longer in frost-free conditions. Flowers are white, pink, red, orange, coral or purple, with single, double and bicoloured forms.

Foliage

Evergreen. Soft, oval to lance-shaped green leaves with toothed edges on fleshy, branching stems; some selections have bronze-toned or variegated foliage.

Growth

Fast during warm weather.

Care needed

Medium

• Plant out after frost risk has passed and nights are reliably mild; harden off indoor-grown plants first.
• Water at soil level when the surface begins to dry, keeping the root zone evenly moist.
• Mix compost into beds before planting, and use containers with drainage holes.
• Feed container plants every two to four weeks with a balanced liquid fertiliser at the label rate.
• Apply a thin mulch around bedding plants to conserve moisture, keeping it clear of their soft stems.
• Space plants to allow air movement, especially in humid gardens.

Pruning. Pinch young shoot tips if plants need more branching. During summer, shorten leggy stems just above a leaf joint; routine deadheading is unnecessary.

Early spring

Sow seed indoors in warmth and bright light, pressing it onto the surface rather than burying it.

Late spring

Harden off plants and plant outside after frost risk has passed and nights have warmed.

Early summer

Mulch beds lightly and begin regular feeding of container plants.

Summer

Check moisture frequently, water at the base and shorten any leggy growth.

Late summer

Take tip cuttings from healthy plants if you want to keep stock indoors over winter.

Autumn

Remove frost-damaged plants; discard rather than compost any showing downy mildew symptoms.

Winter

Keep retained plants or rooted cuttings in bright, frost-free conditions and water less often without letting them dry out completely.

• Plant in repeated drifts along shaded paths for a low, continuous band of summer colour.
• Use in pots and window boxes beneath porches or on sheltered, shaded patios.
• Combine with ferns and hostas to add flowers among contrasting foliage.
• Use white-flowered forms to brighten shaded courtyards, or soft pink forms in pastel bedding schemes.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Traditional, Woodland, Modern courtyard, Small-space and Pastel border.

Plant it with: Hostas, Ferns, Coleus, Torenia, Wax begonias and Heucheras.

Wildlife: Single flowers can provide nectar for visiting insects, although their value varies with flower form and local wildlife. Double flowers are generally less accessible.

• Impatiens downy mildew causes yellowing, white growth beneath leaves and rapid leaf loss. Remove affected plants and fallen material, avoid replanting susceptible Busy Lizzies in that bed, and choose downy-mildew-resistant selections or another bedding species.
• Root and stem rots cause collapse in saturated soil. Improve drainage, avoid standing containers in water and discard badly affected plants.
• Aphids and whiteflies can gather on soft growth, especially under cover. Inspect regularly and use insecticidal soap labelled for the pest if necessary, testing a small area first.
• Wilting or scorched leaves often result from dry roots or excessive sun. Water thoroughly, check drainage and move containers into afternoon shade.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. No part is recognised as poisonous, but it is not a food plant and eating plant material may cause mild stomach upset.

Where it spreads. Can escape cultivation and spread in moist, frost-free habitats. It is an environmental weed in parts of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia, and is invasive in wet habitats in Hawaii. Avoid planting beside bushland or waterways in these regions, and never dump garden waste there.

• New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri)

  Usually has larger flowers and longer, more substantial leaves, often bronze or variegated. Busy Lizzie generally has smaller, softer green leaves and a more finely branched habit.

• Garden balsam (Impatiens balsamina)

  Has a more upright habit, narrow leaves and flowers clustered close to the main stems, rather than flowers displayed across a spreading mound.

• Wax begonia (Begonia semperflorens-cultorum Group)

  Has glossy, distinctly asymmetrical leaves and flowers without the curved nectar spur found behind an impatiens flower.

Impatiens means 'impatient', referring to the ripe seed capsules bursting open when touched, while walleriana honours the British missionary Horace Waller.

Propagation. Sow seed indoors about 8-10 weeks before planting out, keeping it warm and exposed to light. Alternatively, root healthy, non-flowering tip cuttings in moist propagation mix in bright indirect light; named selections may not come true from seed.

Accepted botanical name

Impatiens walleriana

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Hawaii, the lower 48 states, Pacific Basin and Puerto Rico.

Native range

Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.