Impatiens puberula

A scarce jewel! All of the Impatiens that we grow are rare, but this one may take the cake, & so far we are the only ones to offer it! 2” heavenly blue-purple orchid-like flowers adorn this soft leaved perennial creeper in the summer months. It’s a native of Northern India, & requires regular moisture to thrive. It goes into complete dormancy late in Summer (maybe Fall?) when it dies back to tuberous roots. At first, when I saw this happen I worried over the empty-looking pot, but the next Spring it was up & growing again! Phew! Growing this rare jewel in a container will allow you to monitor the plant more closely, but any cool, shady place with well drained but moist soil should suit it fine, so long as there isn’t too much root competition. We’ve been told that this plant is hardy to USDA Zone 7, but until we get an eye-witness we won’t be making that claim. Please let us know! Grows under 2’ tall, with a 2’ or more spread, & seems to dislike heat.

Note: Generally, species Impatiens prefer cool Summer climates with little frost, and suffer in areas with too much heat and humidity!

Claire Woods
Propagator