103. NEW GUINEA IMPATIENS—A GO-TO FLOWER

If you have only half-day sun in your garden, do not despair. New Guinea impatiens will light up the partially shaded space, even if you only tuck a few plants here and there in the plant beds. These reliable, easy-to-grow, colorful flowers will bloom like crazy until fall. To be clear, they are not the same as the common shade-loving impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) that we all know. New Guinea impatiens are not susceptible to the fungus called impatiens downy mildew that has afflicted common impatiens across the country. For this reason, you can plant New Guinea impatiens as a substitute for common impatiens in part-shade beds and planters.

New Guinea impatiens are known for their flashy flowers and remarkable leaf coloration and patterns. Some have leaves with swirls of yellow in the center; others have dark bronze leaves with red and orange markings. And the thick-petaled flowers, which can reach to 3 inches across, range from bright pink, white, red, purple, and lavender to flashy orange. The blooms come in solid colors and bicolored forms. They sport a flower spur full of nectar, which makes them a favorite of moths and butterflies. No deadheading is required, and they are relatively trouble-free. New Guinea impatiens need moist, well-drained soil—do not let them dry out but make sure the soil is not permanently wet. It does best in at least a half-day of full sun, preferably morning sun and afternoon shade.

One of the recent introductions is the sun-tolerant SunPatiens®, a hybrid of New Guinea impatiens. They do well in both sun and shade. SunPatiens® survives hot temperatures and intense sunlight, which is ideal for gardens in southern regions. Other cultivars include the Divine and Sonic® series. These are dense plants with leaves that grow right to the ground, and they are well suited for the front of a border or in large group plantings. New Guinea impatiens look great when planted with finer annuals such as euphorbia Diamond Snow® or taller spike flowers like angelonia.

Super Sonic ® ‘Sweet Cherry’ New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri Super Sonic ® ‘Sweet Cherry’) shares a partially shaded bed with the attractive pink-and-green leaves of ‘Magilla’ perilla (Perilla frutescens ‘Magilla’), a fast-growing, coleus-like foliage plant that does not seed or spread. The Super Sonic ® ‘Sweet Cherry’ New Guinea impatiens is an eye-catcher with its shell-pink round flowers and hot pink overtones with a blotch in the center. It grows 14 to 16 inches tall and can tolerate heat.

Three different colors of New Guinea impatiens mix well with the yellow-green foliage of Japanese forest grass ‘All Gold.’ The dark green leaves of the New Guinea impatiens set off the vividly colored flowers beautifully. Both do well in part sun conditions.