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Herbaceous Perennial

Impatiens omeiana

Mount Omei busy lizzie

Evergreen perennial to 50cm tall, with thick, fleshy stems and velvety, lance-shaped, coarsely- toothed, dark green leaves, lightly variegated with white midribs and veining; bears clusters of creamy-yellow flowers, each with an incurved spur, held above the foliage in summer

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

1–2 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Balsaminaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Impatiens can be annuals or evergreen perennials, with fleshy stems bearing simple, toothed leaves and solitary or clustered, spurred, 5-petalled flowers
Name status: Correct
Plant range: China

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in a sheltered, preferably shady spot. Mulch around the plant to help protect and over-winter the shallow rhizomes

Propagation

Propagate by seed indoors in early spring, by seed in situ outdoors in late spring, softwood cuttings or division in spring or early summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free outdoors; if grown in a greenhouse or conservatory may be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, glasshouse whitefly, vine weevil and aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to damping off (seedlings) or grey mould (flower buds)

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