Impatiens Impatiens Accent Series

👤 Non-toxic to humans

🐾 Non-toxic to pets

🌸 Blooming

🍪 Not edible

‍🌱 Easy-care

ABOUT

The Impatiens Accent Series, commonly known as touch-me-not or busy Lizzie, features rich green, oval-shaped leaves and a bushy growth habit that creates a full, lush appearance. The true stars are its flowers, which come in a vibrant array of colors such as pink, red, orange, white, and violet, often presenting with a contrasting eye or center that adds depth and interest. Each individual blossom is comprised of a rounded shape with a shallowly puckered effect, giving the petals a delicate, almost ruffled look. Touch-me-nots from the Accent Series are appreciated for their continuous blooming throughout the growing season, providing a constant splash of color to garden spaces, hanging baskets, or containers. The overall appearance of this plant series is one of cheerfulness and brightness, making it a popular choice for gardeners looking to add a long-lasting display of color to their shade gardens or indoor plant assortments.

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Family
  Balsaminaceae
- Synonyms
  Garden Balsam, Touch-Me-Not, Busy Lizzie, Patient Lucy
- Common names
  Impatiens Accent Series.
Toxicity
- To humans
  Impatiens, which include the Accent Series, are generally considered to be non-toxic to humans. They do not typically pose a threat if touched or ingested. However, it's always prudent to avoid ingesting any plant material unless it’s known to be edible, as individual allergies or reactions can occur.
- To pets
  Impatiens, to which the Accent Series belongs, are generally recognized as non-toxic to both cats and dogs. Ingestion may cause mild gastrointestinal upset, but serious poisoning is not expected. As with humans, it is always recommended to keep an eye on your pets and prevent them from eating plants that are not meant for consumption, as individual animals might have different sensitivities.
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Annuals
- Foliage type
  Deciduous
- Color of leaves
  Green
- Flower color
  Varies
- Height
  1-2 feet (30-60 cm)
- Spread
  1-2 feet (30-60 cm)
- Plant type
  Herb
- Hardiness zones
  10
- Native area
  East Africa

Benefits

General Benefits
- Vibrant Colors: Impatiens offer a variety of colors that brighten up any garden or landscape.
- Shade Tolerance: Impatiens thrive in shady areas where other flowers might not grow as well.
- Continuous Blooming: These plants provide continuous color from spring through frost without the need for deadheading.
- Easy to Grow: Impatiens are beginner-friendly and require minimal care to maintain their beauty.
- Versatile Usage: They can be planted in flower beds, containers, hanging baskets, and window boxes.
- Fast Growth: Impatiens grow quickly, filling in spaces and providing immediate impact in the garden.
- Disease Resistance: The Accent series is known for having a degree of resistance to common plant diseases.
Medical Properties
This plant is not used for medical purposes.
Air-purifying Qualities
This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses
- The Impatiens, also known as Busy Lizzie, can be used in educational settings to teach children about plant growth and care, offering a simple and safe way for them to observe a plant's life cycle.
- Busy Lizzie flowers, with their variety of colors, can be used in art projects, such as pressing flowers for bookmarks or decorative cards, providing a natural and colorful element to crafts.
- Impatiens can be planted to add pops of color in fairy gardens, tiny ornamental gardens that encourage imaginative play and garden design on a miniature scale.
- These colorful plants can serve as a living dye source; the petals can be boiled to extract colors for use in natural fabric dyeing projects.
- Busy Lizzies can be used in photography projects to help amateur photographers practice macro photography due to their vivid colors and interesting flower structures.
- The nectar of the Impatiens can be used to attract butterflies and hummingbirds, making them ideal for butterfly gardens or as an educational tool about pollinators.
- Impatiens plants can be used in sensory gardens, where their soft foliage and bright flowers can provide visual and tactile stimulation.
- Busy Lizzies can also be used in therapeutic horticulture programs, offering emotional and psychological benefits through the act of nurturing and caring for the plants.
- The Impatiens are suitable for temporary event decorations, such as weddings or parties, as they can be potted and moved easily, adding instant color to any setting.
- These plants can be used in scientific studies on allelopathy, the chemical inhibition of one plant by another, due to their ability to produce chemicals that might affect surrounding plant growth.

Interesting Facts

Feng Shui
Impatiens, commonly known as touch-me-nots or busy Lizzie, is not traditionally used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign Compitability
Impatiens, commonly known as touch-me-nots or busy Lizzie, is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism
- Patience: The common name "impatiens" is derived from the Latin "impatiens," meaning "impatient." This refers to the plant's seed pods, which burst open when ripe. Despite this origin, impatiens symbolizes patience in the language of flowers, likely because it is commonly seen as a plant that requires and teaches gardeners to have patience in care and cultivation.
- Understanding: Impatiens can be seen as embodying understanding and empathy, as they are easy to grow and maintain, often flourishing with minimal care, suggesting an accommodating nature.
- Motherly Love: The nurturing aspect of impatiens, blooming readily in shady areas where many plants do not thrive, is reminiscent of a mother's unconditional love and care.
- Perseverance: Flourishing in shady spots, impatiens can symbolize perseverance and the ability to thrive in less-than-ideal conditions.

💧

Twice a week

Water

☀️

2500 - 10000 Lux

Light

💦️

Humidity

🪴

Every year

Repotting

🌱️

Spring-Early Summer

Propogation

✂️️

As needed

Pruning

Water
Impatiens, commonly known as Busy Lizzie, require consistent moisture and should be watered thoroughly when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch, typically once every few days depending on the weather conditions. During hotter periods, this may mean watering daily, while during cooler or rainy spells, the frequency may reduce. It is essential not to let the soil dry out completely, nor to over-water, which can lead to root rot. When watering, apply water directly to the soil and avoid wetting the foliage to prevent disease. A general rule of thumb is to provide about 8-16 ounces of water for small pots or up to 1 gallon for larger pots each time you water, ensuring the plant receives an inch of water per week.
Light
Busy Lizzie prefers partial to full shade, thriving in spots that receive filtered sunlight or morning sun followed by afternoon shade. These plants can scorch in direct, strong sunlight, so it's crucial to choose a location where they are protected during the hottest part of the day. An ideal spot would be a north-facing garden, beneath high trees that offer dappled sunlight, or on a shaded porch, ensuring they receive light without being exposed to prolonged direct sun.
Temperature
Busy Lizzie favors warmer climates and will thrive best in temperatures between 60 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The minimum temperature the plant can tolerate is around 50 degrees Fahrenheit; anything below can result in poor growth or damage to the plant. Conversely, extreme heat above 85 degrees Fahrenheit can also stress the plant. Ideally, maintain a consistent temperature within the plant's preferred range for optimal growth.
Pruning
Pruning Busy Lizzie is essential for encouraging bushier growth and removing spent blooms or damaged leaves, which helps prevent disease. Regularly pinch back the tips of the stems and deadhead flowers to promote more blooms. The best time to prune is in the spring or early summer, though light pruning can be done throughout the growing season as needed. Typically, pruning every two to three weeks helps maintain a compact and attractive shape.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
The best soil mix for Impatiens, commonly known as Busy Lizzies, is well-draining, rich in organic matter, and slightly acidic to neutral, with a pH range of 6.0 to 7.0. A mixture of peat, loam, and perlite works well.
Repotting
Busy Lizzies should be repotted annually, or when they outgrow their pots, to ensure continued growth and blooming. Early spring, before the onset of the growth season, is the ideal time.
Humidity & Misting
Impatiens, or Busy Lizzies, thrive in moderate to high humidity levels, ideally between 50-70%. They benefit from a humid environment but can tolerate lower humidity levels.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Place in bright, indirect light and keep the soil moist.
- Outdoor
  Partial shade or filtered sunlight, sheltered from wind.
- Hardiness zone
  10-11 USDA
Life cycle
Impatiens, commonly known as Touch-Me-Not, begin their life cycle as seeds that require warm and moist conditions to germinate. Once germinated, seedlings emerge and grow into compact, bushy plants with glossy leaves, often reaching their mature size within a few months. The plants then produce a profusion of colorful flowers throughout the growing season, typically starting in late spring and continuing until the first frost in fall. During this time, they require adequate water, partial shade, and rich, well-draining soil to thrive. As flowering progresses, the plants develop seed capsules that burst upon maturity, dispersing seeds for the next generation. With the onset of cold weather or in response to stress, Impatiens plants die back, completing their annual life cycle.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Spring-Early Summer
- The Impatiens Accent Series, commonly known as Impatiens, is often propagated by seed or cuttings. For the home gardener, the most popular method is through seed sowing. Sowing should take place in the late winter to early spring, giving the plants time to grow before the last frost. The seeds should be gently pressed onto the surface of a well-draining, sterile seed starting mix as they need light to germinate. Keep the soil moist but not soggy and cover the container with clear plastic or a dome to maintain humidity. Place the container in a warm location with bright, indirect light. Germination typically occurs within 10 to 20 days at a temperature around 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (about 21 to 24 degrees Celsius). Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, they can be transplanted into individual pots or into the garden after the threat of frost has passed.