Busy Lizzie
Impatiens walleriana
Also listed as Impatiens petersiana, Impatiens sultani
Also known as Sultana, Balsam, Zanzibar Balsam
Climate Match for your location
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A tender perennial with succulent stems and glossy leaves, producing prolific bright flowers in shades of pink, red, orange, white, and purple. Blooms nearly year-round indoors and throughout warm months outdoors.
Why grow it
Impatiens walleriana offers reliable, continuous flowering in low-light indoor conditions where many ornamentals struggle, making it useful for shaded indoor spaces or north-facing windowsills. Compared to other shade-tolerant houseplants, it produces more abundant blooms across a wider color range. It tolerates container culture well and reaches mature size quickly, providing visual impact in a single growing season.
Watch out for
This plant requires consistently moist (not waterlogged) soil and will drop flowers and leaves rapidly if allowed to dry out between waterings. High humidity and good air circulation help prevent fungal issues, particularly powdery mildew, which can develop in stagnant indoor conditions. Spider mites can become problematic indoors during dry winters.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Balsaminaceae
Native Range
East Africa (Tanzania)
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A tender perennial with succulent stems and glossy leaves, producing prolific bright flowers in shades of pink, red, orange, white, and purple. Blooms nearly year-round indoors and throughout warm months outdoors.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Busy Lizzie grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Impatiens walleriana offers reliable, continuous flowering in low-light indoor conditions where many ornamentals struggle, making it useful for shaded indoor spaces or north-facing windowsills. Compared to other shade-tolerant houseplants, it produces more abundant blooms across a wider color range. It tolerates container culture well and reaches mature size quickly, providing visual impact in a single growing season.
Watch out for
This plant requires consistently moist (not waterlogged) soil and will drop flowers and leaves rapidly if allowed to dry out between waterings. High humidity and good air circulation help prevent fungal issues, particularly powdery mildew, which can develop in stagnant indoor conditions. Spider mites can become problematic indoors during dry winters.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Balsaminaceae
Native Range
East Africa (Tanzania)
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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