NEW New Guinea Impatiens

Plant breeders have put a lot of energy into developing new varieties of New Guinea impatiens, many of which can now tolerate sun.   Impatiens downy mildew swept across the country (and the world) a few years ago, decimating many plantings of seed grown (walleriana) impatiens.  New Guinea impatiens are immune to this disease.   Typically impatiens grown from seeds have more flowers and a lower and more spreading growing habit than New Guinea impatiens.

Impatiens 'Bounce Pink Flame' is a winner of All American Selections (AAS) for 2015.  It looks like an Impatiens walleriana in habit, flower form and count, but is completely downy mildew resistant. Breeders promise "...a massive amount of stunning, bright pink bicolor blooms with tons of color to brighten your garden, be it in shade or sun."

BOUNCE PINK FLAME

(Selecta Photograph)

'Florific® Sweet Orange' is the first bicolor in seed-raised New Guinea impatiens.  This one prefers the shade.  It is a showy, full plant with huge flowers that present nicely above the foliage. Its color ranges from deep orange to light orange.  

FLORIFIC SWEET ORANGE
(Syngenta Photos)

I like variegated leaves on New Guineas (and on any flowering plant) and am offering 'Strike Orange' this year.  It is a more compact grower.

STRIKE ORANGE

(Danziger photo)

Customers like the "Sunpatiens" series of New Guineas, which thrive in sun or shade  and this year I will add 'Spreading Pink Flash'.  Spreading SunPatiens can grow 18-36" tall and 24-36” wide in the garden.  Their aggressive spreading nature allows you to plant further apart (14-24” spacing) and increase your coverage versus traditional annuals.

SUNPATIENS SPREADING PINK FLASH

(Sakata Photo)

New Guineas will let you know when they are too dry by kind of collapsing.  They look like they have "had the radish" in that situation, but with a watering they bounce right back.  New Guinea impatiens are excellent choices for containers and hanging baskets.