skip to main content

Colour mix on Impatiens Walleriana

19 years ago

Hello Everyone, As I understand Impatiens Walleriana, is it a species that has been grown in Australia as a common garden plant for many years, known casually as Bizzie Lizzie. The variety I speak of has been around for many years and grows well in shade and semi shade, is generally an open growth bush up to half metre in height, can have blooms on the same bush where the colours can vary a little from entire same colour to blooms mixed with white patches etc and has bloom petals that do not overlap and self seeds prolifically - very close to being a weed.

If so, they differ much to what is on offer these days as Impatiens Walleriana. Are today's Impatiens Walleriana a hybrid of the old Bizzie Lizzie using other compatible species? .. or the result of breeding within the Impatiens Walleriana species ?

Do any of today's Impatiens Walleriana with compact, low growing bushs and blooms that have overlapping bloom petals exhibit varied bloom colours/combination of colours on the same bush as did the old open petalled Bizzie Lizzie ?

Regards, Brian Kerr.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

MrImpatiens
19 years ago
Brian
They are all Impatiens walleriana. There are some very similar species namely usambarensis which will cross naturely with walleriana. Walleriana is a very veriable species, the white spotting is just a mutation in one plant that had a star like pattern. As far as my knowledge goes, no other species are involved in the breeding process. Usambarensis maybe in there somewhere and I do know that the companies have worked with it but I dont think anything has been made available. Usambarensis is more sun tolerant than walleriana but not really that much more. The one hybrid I have has fuzzy leaves which it got from its usambarensis parent and bright orange flowers from the other.
april15
18 years ago
Hi Brian, I don't know what I might be doing wrong. I purchased Bizzie Lizzie seeds(D>T>Brown brand)and they did not germinate. They were in a sealed foil pack and not out of date. About 20 years ago I use to grow them with no trouble at all, so much so they use to get out of hand due to self germination. Is it me or are they doing something to the seeds these days??
Related Discussions
Impatiens Colour Combinations
Q
Comments (14)
Gypseaflower, I must have missed this - thanks for posting your photo. Very nice! Do you mean your impatiens actually self-sowed? Lainey, Actually that combination does sound very eye-catching. I didn't put in any orangey colours at all. I should experiment more. We've been getting so much rain, that the ground is sopping wet, and I haven't been able to finish planting everything. Surprisingly, my impatiens that are already planted don't seem to mind the constant rain; but my fibrous begonias have rotted. I have to plant replacements, but will have to wait for the soil to dry out a bit first.
...See More
Impatiens seedling problem
Q
Comments (4)
IÂve been growing impatiens about 10 years and still consider myself a novice with starting them from seed. So, in saying that IÂve noticed a few thingsÂ 1. The double impatiens (carousel is a double, I believe) have much smaller seed and in my experience I have a lot more difficulty germinating. I am not sure for the reason for this, but the doubles were the first I tried, and was heart broken when I got (not to scare you) about 20% germination. Again, this was probably over 10 years ago Â things may have changedÂ germ rates Â I hope are better. I now grow the Envoy series and get between 95 and 100% germination (these are NOT doubles and have much larger seeds). 2. The moister the better Â not WET but moist. I found the longer I kept the dome ON the better off I was. I use domes when I do cuttings as well Â and IÂve done MUCH MUCH BETTER. 3. In my experience I have found that they like to germinate at a little bit cooler tempsÂ IÂd say closer to 68-70? I donÂt even use a mat on them anymore - ! so regular house temperature works great for them. All this being said, this is my first year doing the new guineas Â so I will be sure to pay close attention to this thread. I donÂt have any opinions about the seed starting mixture (I have always used a germinating mix) and that certainly COULD BE what is affecting your germination rate. I donÂt knowÂ Although, I do have an opinion about looking at where the seeds are from and under what situation/environment are/is optimal. I find that to be TOTALLY the case Â and treating seeds differently based on this in my opinion an excellent practice. Nature knows best Â and unless you keep this in mind germination failure is highly probable.
...See More
cream colored impatiens
Q
Comments (2)
I believe the Tempo series has a 'blush' which is a pinkier/white color... Tempo has a 'peach frost'... Pink swirl... Accent has a salmon picotee - ahh - got it Accent Bright Eye. I'll attach a link to stokes - go to the imps, accent - bright eye. Good luck on your search for cream colored impatiens! Here is a link that might be useful: stokes store front
...See More
Anyone growing impatiens walleriana - 2014? How are they doing?
Q
Comments (42)
JannSM - It's not my garden. I wish it was! It's a curb garden right by a bank building. Whoever is landscaping it does a great job with the impatiens. I mean seriously they look like small bushes. I've seen photos on google of that happening in FL. They almost grow up to my knees. Dang. I keep forgetting to take my camera with me when I cross by that area. I'll see if I can get a snap. I better hurry, because they are melting away, very much like they did last year. My garden right now is filled with coleus. They exploded these last couple weeks and crowded everything else out. There are a couple Impatiens W. buried under the coleus, just blooming away in silence. I am tempted to take a cutting. If anything to look at them and inspect the leaves. Thinking over I wonder if my little Impatiens volunteers, hiding under the coleus, happened because some neighbor, trying to be helpful, raked away the wood chip mulch and left the ground bare. The wood chips might have insulated the seeds. I went in and filled it with coco mulch - which was my plan last year, but wasn't able to do it. If such plants need light to sprout, I wonder how they got it? Unless the rain washed away some of that mulch and kept it wet enough. Maybe the raking helped remove some of the infected plant material? I don't know. I'm still going to be very conservative with impatiens. Now knowing part sun flowers may bloom in my spot, I may use petunias as the more dominant flower attraction for next year. This post was edited by fieldofflowers on Wed, Sep 3, 14 at 3:40
...See More
brianmkerr
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi April 15, Chances are you treated them too well. They like in a natural environment with a semi moist surface and not too much humidity. I mix my dry seed with coarse, dry sand and shake out through a coarse holed ex-food spice container onto just moist seed raising mix in a tray, cover the tray with glass and put it in the shade - I do not cover the seed ie plant to any depth. No more water is needed and in a week or 2 (seasonal), they are starting to germinate. Remove cover bit by bit and monitor moistness. Move into more dappled light as they grow. If dry, water lightly. As plant increases in size, increase water and fertilizer. Pot on before too big.
Good luck.
Regards, Brain Kerr.
PS Mr Impatiens is the one to ask really as I am only just delving into hybridizing, though do have gardening experience.
april15
18 years ago
It sounds like i may have overwatered. In fact i am pretty sure that i did by what you say. I may give it another go since I have another packet of seeds and this time I shall follow your instructions. Thanks Brian. I am greatfull for the advice

Related Stories

CURB APPEAL Crazy for Colorful Cones: 5 Container Plantings Beyond the Bowl

Give even a small garden an exuberant vibe with hanging cones overflowing with blooming beauties

MOST POPULAR How to Design a Colorful Flower Bed

By Marianne Lipanovich

Fall planting: Delight the eye through 3 seasons with bright flowers placed just right. Late summer is the time to plan

GARDENING GUIDES Animate Your Garden With the Colors of Matisse

Let the bold and bright palettes of this legendary colorist energize your plantings and bring a painterly touch to your garden

GARDENING GUIDES Top 12 Summer-Blooming Perennials for Deer-Resistant Drama

Can you have garden color, fragrance and exciting foliage with hungry deer afoot? These beauties say yes

CONTAINER GARDENS 7 Deer-Resistant Flowers for Your Summer Containers

Grow these as protection for edibles or just for their colorful beauty — deer might not like them, but everyone else will

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Tips for Beginning Gardeners

By Laura Gaskill

With a simple sketch, basic tools and the right plants, you’ll be on your way to growing your first flowers or edibles

PLANTING IDEAS Stretch the Budget, Seasons and Style: Add Conifers to Your Containers

Small, low-maintenance conifers are a boon for mixed containers — and you can transplant them to your garden when they’ve outgrown the pot

GARDENING GUIDES The Secret Formula for Grouping Plants in a Pot

By Margie Grace - Grace Design Associates

Designing a gorgeous container garden is easy once you know this simple rule of thumb for composition

GARDENING GUIDES Great Garden Combo: 3 Wonderful Plants for a Deer-Resistant Screen

Protect your privacy and keep deer at bay with a planting trio that turns a problem garden area into a highlight

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Explore Your Garden Personality: The Whimsical Gardener

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Begging exploration and drawing smiles, whimsical gardens make an art form of fun. Here’s how to keep them in balance

Sponsored