Impatiens are among the most popular annual flowering plants, prized for their ability to produce a continuous display of bright, vibrant color even in shady garden spaces. The genus name itself, Impatiens, is Latin for “impatient,” a reference to the way the mature seed pods burst open and scatter seeds upon the slightest touch, earning them the common name “touch-me-not.” These plants are also widely recognized as “Busy Lizzie” in many parts of the world, a nod to their prolific and seemingly non-stop blooming habit from late spring until the first frost. Learning what Impatiens look like involves closely examining their dense growth pattern, their distinct foliage, and the unique morphology of their flowers.
Plant Habit and Foliage
The overall growth habit of the most common Impatiens varieties is typically mounding, dense, and bushy, creating a carpet of color. These plants generally reach a height of between six inches and two feet, growing equally wide to form a solid mass. The stems are a distinct visual characteristic, appearing fleshy, thick, and almost translucent, which makes them quite brittle and prone to wilting quickly if the plant is under-watered.
Impatiens foliage consists of simple leaves that are often oval or elliptic in shape, arranged alternately along the succulent stems. The edges of the leaves are finely serrated, or toothed. Leaf color ranges from a light green to a deep, dark green, and the surface often has a slightly glossy finish, supporting the continuous flower production that defines the plant’s lush appearance.
Detailed Flower Structure
The flowers of the standard Impatiens present a flattened, open face, typically composed of five petals that seem to radiate outward. While they appear to have five distinct petals, the flower is technically formed from one upper petal, two lateral petals that are fused together, and two lower petals that are also fused, creating a symmetrical, flat disk. This structure allows the flowers to almost completely obscure the foliage beneath them when the plants are in full bloom.
A defining structural feature, though often hidden by the dense growth, is the long, slender, nectar-holding spur that extends backward from the base of the flower. This hollow, tail-like projection is a modified sepal and is a characteristic of the Impatiens genus. While most popular cultivars feature the flat, five-petaled, single-flower form, hybridizers have also developed double-flowered varieties. These double blooms appear as small, tightly packed rosettes that resemble miniature camellias or roses rather than the typical flattened shape.
Visual Differences Among Common Types
The most widely planted type, Impatiens walleriana, or Busy Lizzie, is visually characterized by its delicate nature, smaller leaves, and the sheer density of its flower coverage, which forms a solid blanket of color. These flowers exhibit an extensive color spectrum, including pure whites, bright pinks, vibrant reds, oranges, and purples, often with bi-color patterns on the petals. Their relatively delicate stems and leaves make them perfectly suited for shady environments where they are protected from intense sun and heat.
New Guinea Impatiens
In contrast, New Guinea Impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) possess a much more robust and upright visual presence. Their leaves are significantly larger, more elongated, and often feature striking visual elements like bronze-tinged coloration or prominent variegation with yellow or cream markings. The individual flowers are also larger than those of I. walleriana, set against the backdrop of the darker, sturdier foliage.
Sunpatiens and Interspecific Hybrids
A third group, the Sunpatiens and other interspecific hybrids, combine the best traits of the other two types into a larger, more vigorous plant. These hybrids typically have the larger, elongated leaves and thicker stems similar to New Guinea Impatiens, but they are bred for a tidy, dense, and exceptionally robust mounding habit. A buyer can visually distinguish these plants by their overall larger size and sturdiness, often reaching two to three feet in height, which signals their ability to thrive in sunnier conditions than their delicate walleriana cousins.