Almost 10 old age ago , northerly nurseryman witnessed an unusual disease approach classic garden impatiens , the best - sell shade - large-minded bedding works . contagion induce the total prostration and , ultimately , end of planting . It moved easy by wind and rainfall , and would put down hibernating in garden soils , quick to taint the next year ’s plantings . No chemical spraying or change to ethnic practices could keepimpatiens downy mildewat bay . Gardeners had to abandonImpatiens walleriana — also recognise as busy lizzy or solitaire works .
I am felicitous to report that it ’s clip to plant impatiens again .
Two serial ofImpatiens wallerianahave of late been introduced that are highly downy mildew resistant .
Beacon impatiens in landscape
beacon fire ® Impatiens
The first series to reckon for is theBeacon ® impatiens , developed byPanAmerican Seed . Years of scrupulous facts of life work in the Netherlands , stick with by serious industrial plant pathology workplace , has resulted in a series that is extremely puberulent mildew repellent . There are six colors of Beacon : Bright Red , Violet Shades , Salmon , Coral , Orange and White . PanAm has also created two premix from these colors . Beacon impatiens reach a ripe height of 15 to 20 inches and spread 12 to 14 inches . PanAm recommends space in a mass planting at 8 to 10 inches aside . Plant Beacon when the probability of frost has passed in leap . If you want to depart your plants from seed , a number of the gravid ring armour - ordering catalogue are advertize Beacon seed for spring 2020 .
These plants have been extensively tested the last few year , including in Minnesota . TheUniversity of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Centerin Morris admit Beacon impatiens in its annual plant test in 2019 . concord to Steve Poppe , gardening scientist at the center , Beacon ® Salmon was one of the “ Top Ten Performing Annuals ” of 2019 , a high honour indeed .
Imara Orange Star impatiens
Imara ™ XDR
Also useable in 2020 is the Imara ™ XDR series from Syngenta Flowers . merriment fact : Imara is a Swahili word think of “ resilience . ” XDR stands for “ extra disease opposition . ”
There are nine colors in the Imara ™ serial , including Orange Star , Rose , White , Salmon Shades , Purple , Red , Orange , Pink and Red Star . They also have one mix . These impatiens are uniform in height and width at 10 to 12 inch . For best event , plant them after the last frost . Seeds are also available from the larger mail - club cum ship’s company .
Imara ™ was tested extensively in both the United States and Europe including trials in 2017 and 2018 at Cornell University ’s Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center in upstate New York .
From spring to come down , no bedding plant packs a flower punch like garden impatiens . Whether you used it in hanging field goal on a N - facing front porch , in assorted containers with begonias and other specter lovers , or drink down it into the garden between genus Funka or in large coloured beds , the blooming power of thistop - selling annualwas sorely pretermit .
last , because of intemperate study by some brilliant breeders who ’ve develop downy mould resistive impatiens , they are back !
This clause byDebbie Lonneeappeared in the March / April 2020 issuing of theNorthernGardener .
