How to Grow Patience Plant
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Patience Plant
Impatiens walleriana
flowerPatience plants are tender perennials commonly grown as annuals, prized for their vibrant, prolific flowers in shades of pink, red, orange, white, and purple. They thrive in shaded to partially shaded conditions and bloom continuously from spring through fall with minimal deadheading required. These compact, bushy plants are excellent for containers, hanging baskets, and shaded garden beds.
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Example Patience Plant timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Patience Plant
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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First Patience Plant blooms
Around May 17≈ 30 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Patience Plant dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Zones 10-11 as perennials; grown as annuals in zones 3-9
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Seed to Seedling
10-14 days to germination, 3-4 weeks to true leavesTiny seeds germinate into delicate seedlings with small oval leaves. Very slow at first.
Keep soil moist but not soggy; provide bright indirect light. Seedlings are fragile; handle gently. Ensure good air circulation to prevent damping off.
Vegetative Growth
3-4 weeksPlant develops bushy form with multiple stems and increasing leaf mass. Growth accelerates.
Pinch off growing tips to encourage branching and bushier shape. Maintain consistent moisture and humidity. Feed weekly with balanced or slightly high-nitrogen fertilizer.
Flowering Initiation
1-2 weeksFirst flower buds appear at branch tips; plant reaches mature size and shape.
Switch to balanced or slightly higher-phosphorus fertilizer to encourage blooms. Reduce nitrogen to avoid excessive foliage. Maintain consistent watering and humidity.
Peak Flowering
6-16 weeks (extends through season)Plant is covered with vibrant flowers; continuous blooming throughout growing season if conditions remain favorable.
Deadheading is optional but improves appearance. Maintain consistent moisture—wilting reduces bloom production. Fertilize every 2 weeks. Watch for pests and diseases.
Decline/Season End
Variable based on climateFlowering slows as temperatures cool or days shorten. Plant may become leggy or less vigorous.
Cut back plant by half to rejuvenate if desired. In zones 10-11, bring indoors or allow to rest. In cooler zones, compost after first frost.
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Spray with strong water stream; use insecticidal soap or neem oil. Encourage natural predators like ladybugs.
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Increase humidity; spray undersides of leaves with water. Use miticide or neem oil if severe.
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Use yellow sticky traps; spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Remove heavily infested leaves.
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Isolate affected plants; remove with rubbing alcohol on cotton swab. Apply insecticidal soap if widespread.
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Remove and destroy infected plants. Control thrips which transmit virus. No cure; prevention through thrips management is key.
Uses
Edible Flowers
CulinaryImpatiens flowers are edible and slightly sweet, though they are rarely used culinarily. They can garnish salads or desserts for visual appeal and mild flavor. [source]
Container & Landscape Ornament
HouseholdPatience plants are prized for shaded containers, hanging baskets, window boxes, and as groundcover in shade gardens. Their prolific blooms provide continuous color in areas where most flowers struggle. [source]
Fresh Flower Arrangements
CraftCut stems make attractive additions to fresh flower bouquets and arrangements. Flowers have good vase life when conditioned properly. [source]
Pollinator Attraction
WildlifeImpatiens flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. They are especially valuable in shade gardens where pollinator food sources are limited. [source]
Traditional Medicine
MedicinalIn some traditional medicine systems, Impatiens species have been used for skin conditions and minor ailments, though scientific evidence is limited. [source]
This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.
Harvest Tips
Patience plants are ornamental flowers and are not harvested for food. Cut stems for fresh arrangements by pinching off flower clusters; this encourages more blooms. Deadhead spent flowers to extend bloom season, though this is not essential as the plant continuously produces flowers.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 The name 'Impatiens' comes from the plant's seed pods, which literally 'cannot wait' to disperse—they explosively pop open when touched when ripe, flinging seeds several feet away to spread the plant.
- 🌱 Patience plants are also called 'Busy Lizzies' or 'Touch-me-nots' (Impatiens for the latter reason), and they've been cultivated for over 300 years, originally from the mountains of East Africa and Asia.
- 🌱 These flowers are highly susceptible to Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV), a serious disease spread by thrips that devastated commercial growers in the 1990s-2000s, prompting breeding of resistant varieties.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
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