Impatiens Species, Shrub Balsam, Poor Man's Orchid, Poor Man's Rhododendron

These are so easy to grow and create such a wonderful show. They are easy to keep trimmed if you don't want them to get too tall. They ...Read Morerecover well from wilting if they get too dry. You can grow them in the shade or half day full sun. In the sun you will get more flowers and denser growth habit, but they will need more water. Some of mine are out in the open and do get damaged by freezing temperatures in the winter, but they regrow quickly and have never been so damaged that they lost more than about the first foot of growth. The deer don't tough them and the hummingbirds love them!

None of the photos show this plant at its best in size and color. When you get it just right in the yard..people have mistaken it for Plu...Read Moremeria. Maybe it should be called poor man's Plumeria in certain climates?...

I have the white (alba) form and frost hasn't killed it yet. We've had a couple of nights in the low 30s and the plants are still going s...Read Moretrong and even blooming a little. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

The large dark green leaves are a nice foil for the white flowers.

Excellent self seeding annual in the north. It grows freely in part sun or sun, and reseeds *very* readily...you'll never have to re-plan...Read Moret. The fleshy stems are very similar to the varieties of impatients commonly used as a shady annual, but it is taller, and more leafy.

Overall very easy to grow, it will take over if you let it, but a pre-emergent weed-killer will get rid of it easily, and the seeds do not spread far. Benefits from thinning, but also grows fine without it. Sprouts early, then flowers and seeds for most of the summer.

The hanging seed pods 'pop' and curl up when squeezed, making it a good plant for children.

If you wish to collect seed, wait until the seed pods begin to turn pale yellow (they will not 'dry'), if you wait too long, the seed pods will 'pop' on their own, scattering the seeds.