New Guinea Impatiens are popular garden plants, admired for their bright, long-lasting blooms and lush foliage. They add continuous color to containers, hanging baskets, and garden beds throughout warmer months. Many gardeners wonder if these vibrant plants will return each year, a question with an answer that depends on environmental conditions.
Understanding New Guinea Impatiens’ Nature
New Guinea Impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) are tender perennials. In their native tropical and subtropical environments, they can live for more than one growing season. They have a compact, bushy growth habit and showy flowers in a wide array of colors. They are distinct from common impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) with their larger blooms and often variegated foliage. Despite their perennial nature in ideal climates, they are typically cultivated as annuals in most temperate regions due to their sensitivity to cold, which prevents them from surviving harsh winter conditions.
The Impact of Climate on Their Return
Climate, specifically cold temperatures and frost, determines whether New Guinea Impatiens return. They are sensitive to cold; even a light frost can cause their demise. They thrive in temperatures between 70°F and 85°F during the day and 55°F to 65°F at night. In the United States, New Guinea Impatiens can reliably overwinter outdoors only in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 10 through 12. In these tropical or subtropical zones, where temperatures remain consistently above 45°F, they can persist year after year.
Strategies for Overwintering New Guinea Impatiens
In colder climates, human intervention is necessary to keep New Guinea Impatiens beyond a single season. One method involves bringing the plant indoors before the first frost. Move plants indoors when nighttime temperatures consistently drop below 50°F, ideally before they reach 45°F. Before relocating, inspect the plants for pests and prune them back by about one-third to one-half their size to encourage new growth and manage their indoor footprint.
Once indoors, New Guinea Impatiens require a bright location, such as a south-facing window, or supplemental grow lights for adequate light exposure during shorter winter days. They prefer consistent indoor temperatures between 65°F and 75°F. Watering should be adjusted; allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out between waterings to prevent root rot, as they are susceptible to overwatering indoors. While they may shed some leaves and not bloom as profusely during winter, this is a normal response to lower light conditions. Another strategy for preserving your New Guinea Impatiens is to take cuttings from the parent plant in late summer or early fall. Stem cuttings, typically 4-6 inches long, can be rooted in water or a moist potting mix, providing new plants for the following spring. This allows gardeners to propagate their preferred varieties.