Impatiens, Busy Lizzy 'Fiesta White'

Double Impatiens 'Fiesta White' Impatiens (walleriana) produced by Ball FloraPlant has beautiful large blooms that attract bees, butterfl...Read Moreies and hummingbird. The Fiesta Series has more compact plants than the older double impatiens cultivars and the blooms are held higher above the foliage. I have had my plant in a hanging basket for several years. It receives some morning sun and then bright filtered shade in the afternoon. Impatiens need a lot of light to bloom well (but not hot direct sun) and a water-soluble fertilizer that is high in phosphorous applied every 2 or 3 weeks increases the bloom number. Pinching back the stems increases branching which also increases the bloom number. The plant is "self-cleaning" so old blooms do not need to be removed. It is placed in my greenhouse each winter after I cut it back by 1/2. A wren made a nest right in the middle of it while I had the door to the greenhouse open this spring which killed the center of the plant.

If bloom buds are developing and then dropping off, the plant could be stressed by too much or too little water. If bloom buds are developing and then disappearing, slugs and/or squirrels might be eating them. If the plant is not blooming and/or the leaves are turning light green, it needs fertilized. If the stems are spindly, it might not be receiving enough light or it needs trimmed back. Fiesta series double impatiens are propagated only by cuttings.

This double impatiens is wonderful! I planted it in a mayan planter in full shade, and it thrived despite summer heat.

The...Read More blooms are reminiscent of camellia flowers.