How to Grow Splash Pink
Wikimedia Commons
Splash Pink
Impatiens walleriana 'Splash Pink'
flowerSplash Pink is a compact impatiens cultivar featuring distinctive pink flowers with white splashes and variegated foliage. This tender annual produces continuous blooms throughout the growing season in shaded garden areas. It's prized for containers, hanging baskets, and shaded beds where it thrives in moist, cool conditions.
When should you plant Splash Pink in your zone?
Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.
Example Splash Pink timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
-
Plant Splash Pink
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
-
Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
-
First Splash Pink blooms
Around May 17≈ 30 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Splash Pink dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Typically grown as an annual in zones 3-11; perennial in zones 10b-11
Sign up free to see if Splash Pink grows in your zone — and get a personalized planting timeline.
Get my Splash Pink timeline →Growth Stages
Seedling
2-3 weeksTiny seedlings with 2-4 true leaves emerging. Variegated foliage begins to show color patterns.
Keep in bright, indirect light at 70-75°F. Maintain soil moisture without waterlogging. Avoid strong direct sunlight.
Vegetative Growth
3-4 weeksPlant develops bushy form with multiple stems and variegated leaves becoming more pronounced. Height reaches 8-12 inches.
Pinch back growing tips to encourage branching. Ensure consistent moisture and humidity. Begin fertilizing with balanced liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks.
Budding & Early Flowering
1-2 weeksFlower buds form at stem tips. Pink and white bicolor blooms begin to open. Plant reaches full compact size.
Maintain moist, cool conditions. Continue pinching if more fullness desired. Increase fertilizer frequency to every 10 days.
Peak Bloom
6-12 weeks or until frost/season endAbundant pink and white splashed flowers completely covering the foliage. Plant becomes a dense mound of color.
Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming. Water consistently, as blooming plants need more moisture. Monitor for spider mites in dry conditions.
Decline (End of Season)
Variable; until first frost or season endFlowering slows in fall as temperatures drop. Foliage may become sparse or show yellowing.
Reduce watering and fertilizing. Remove plant before first hard frost in cold climates. May survive indoors if brought in before frost.
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
-
Increase humidity with misting; spray with water to dislodge; use insecticidal soap or neem oil if severe. Avoid hot, dry conditions.
-
Yellow sticky traps; spray undersides of leaves with insecticidal soap; neem oil application every 7-10 days.
-
Remove with alcohol-dipped cotton swab; spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; isolate infested plants.
-
Allow soil to dry slightly between waterings; use yellow sticky traps; apply mosquito dunks (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) to soil.
-
Improve drainage; avoid overwatering; use sterile potting soil; remove affected plants; ensure good air circulation.
Uses
Container & basket gardening
HouseholdSplash Pink's compact growth and continuous flowers make it ideal for containers, hanging baskets, and window boxes on shaded patios and porches. The variegated foliage adds visual interest even before blooms appear. [source]
Shade garden color
HouseholdCreates vibrant pink and white color in difficult-to-plant shaded areas where few flowering plants thrive. Excellent for brightening dark corners, under trees, and north-facing locations. [source]
Pollinator attraction
WildlifeContinuous flowers attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds throughout the growing season, supporting pollinator populations in shaded garden spaces. [source]
Fresh flower arrangements
CraftDelicate pink and white blooms work well in fresh floral arrangements and low-water bouquets for shaded interior spaces. Flowers last several days in water. [source]
Harvest Tips
Impatiens are ornamental flowering plants, not harvested for fruit or seed (though seeds develop in capsules after flowers fade). Deadhead spent blooms regularly by pinching off faded flowers at the base to encourage continuous flowering throughout the season. For cut flowers, cut stems early morning and place immediately in water.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Impatiens are called 'busy lizzies' because they produce flowers so prolifically and continuously throughout the growing season.
- 🌱 The name 'Impatiens' comes from the plant's seed dispersal method—mature seed pods literally explode when touched, flinging seeds up to 12 feet away.
- 🌱 Splash Pink's variegated foliage is a relatively modern breeding achievement, created to extend visual interest beyond just the flowers in shade gardens.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.
Get your personalized Splash Pink planting timeline
Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Splash Pink seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.
Get my Splash Pink timeline →