Impatiens…America’s #1 shade plant

Last Updated on Saturday, 21 January 2012 01:13 Written by Phillip Saturday, 21 January 2012 01:08

The common shade impatiens has been used for years in containers and garden beds as the go-to plant for the shade. Unfortunately people who have only grown impatiens, are going to have to change their gardening habit. A deadly powdery mildew has infected the impatiens family. First observed in 2003, a strain of downy mildew had become a world wide problem by last year. It’s symptoms are appear with leaves turning yellow and are rapidly shed from the plant. A fine white fungal growth may be visible on the lower leaf surface, but affected leaves yellow and fall off rapidly. The fungal spores that are the problem are easily carried by the wind…quickly spreading the disease. Fortunately this mildew seems to be very plant specific, affecting only the Walleriana type of impatiens. The Walleriana impatiens is the common type impatiens that has been in use for years. There is no reason to be concerned that this problem can or will spread to your other plants.

There are a number of good flowering plants that do great in the shade bed or containers. By talking to people at your locally owned garden center you should find plenty of  plants to take the place of impatiens in your shady area. If people at the garden center tell you that impatiens are just fine….you know that you have found a place that is not looking out for your best gardening interests! In no particular order here are some great alternatives….

• New guinea impatiens
• All types of  begonia
• Coleus
• Upright fuchia

This is not a problem that is going to go away, it is real….and it is here now! Growers in Europe are planting ZERO seeds of impatiens this spring! While there will be some growers in the United States (mostly box stores) that will carry impatiens this year, my recommendation is to not purchase them!

To read a few more articles on this issue, check out these links. http://www.greenhousegrower.com/article/23485

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=205