Impatiens walleriana

Impatiens walleriana
“Patience plant” “Busy Lizzie”
BALSAMINACEAE

Herbaceous Annual (or perennial till hit by frost)

Zone:
Native habitat: genus, Africa

Conditions
Soil: average, humus
Moisture: well-drained, moist
Light:  part shade to full shade
Exposure: shelter from wind
Plant size (h x w): 8″ – 24″
Other: brittle and easily broken so keep out of foot traffic

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: mounding, compact or spreading/pendant (this depends on cvs.)
Leaf: alternate, lancolate, ribed, green
Flower: flat-faced with spur 
Bloom: early summer to frost
Other: different cultivars have different forms and flower colours so keep this in mind

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: do not plant near foot traffic, strong winds, or ocean
Maintain: remove when spent or bring inside for the winter
Propagate: seed

Uses
Landscape: basket, container, bedding, houseplant
Companion planting: 
Medicinal: none known
Other:

 Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: a fungal disease has been known to affect it, been present in BC since 2003 where it swept though killing all of them; mildew appears on the underside of leaves, plant then goes mushy and dies within 6 weeks
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: not native, annual here in Victoria, susceptible to a fungal disease so may want to consider planting something else instead
Pot size (to purchase): 4″
Nature: attractive shade tolerant annual
Identification (key features): 5 petals overlapping to form a hexagon like shape; leaves lanceolate

Interesting facts:
Cultivars:
Comments:  not sold as often anymore,
Impatiens ‘New Guinea’ – can be a good replacement to this one – resistant to fungal disease