Can Impatiens Grow Indoors?

Impatiens are very popular flowering plants, especially amongst keen gardeners. You likely associate impatiens with bright and bold flower beds that come to life after the spring frost, or even the splashes of color you see when walking through your local beauty spots in the summer. 

However, what if we told you that impatiens also make for gorgeous houseplants? If you are looking to brighten up your interior, check out the info-packed guide below. We cover everything, from how to grow impatiens indoors to how to propagate your favorite variety. 

Get To Know Impatiens

Impatiens is a genus of flowering plants, belonging to the family Balsaminaceae, which contains over 1000 species. They are native to more tropical climates but have been grown in temperate regions since the late 1800s. 

Impatiens are often loved by gardeners because of their ability to bloom quickly and last long into fall. The flowers can be bright red, orange, yellow, pink, purple, white, blue, or lavender. Some varieties even have double flowers. 

Types Of Impatiens

There are thousands of different species of impatiens. However, some are more common than others. Check out some common varieties below. 

Perennial Impatiens 

This is the most common type of impatiens in North America. Also known as Impatiens Walleriana, this variety can grow up to 3 feet tall and is known for being particularly tolerant to sub-optimal weather conditions. 

Annual Impatiens 

Annual Impatiens, or Impatiens Balsamina, are also known by the names garden balsam and rose balsam. This variety produces cup-shaped flowers and only grows to be around 8 inches tall. This variety has dwindled in popularity since the 19th century. 

New Guinea Impatiens

New Guinea impatiens, also known as Impatiens Hawkeri, have larger and brighter flowers than the other two varieties in this list. They are also able to withstand strong sunlight and heat. However, they are considered to be quite an inconsistent plant. 

Can You Grow Impatiens Indoors?

Generally speaking, yes! 

Impatiens aren’t necessarily the best houseplants, but they sure can be grown indoors if the conditions are right. If you’re hoping to use impatiens to brighten up an indoor space, take a look at the necessary steps you need to take to ensure that you’re providing these wonderful flowers with everything that they need to thrive.  

How to Successfully Growing Impatiens Indoors

Container Soil

If you want your impatiens to grow well indoors, then you’ll need to make sure that it’s planted in soil that will provide it with all of its nutrients. Make sure that you choose a potting mix that is rich in organic matter. This way, you won’t need to add fertilizer to the soil. 

We recommend mixing together 1/3 moss, 1/3 perlite, and 1/3 potting soil for your impatiens. It is also worth noting that impatiens like to have space. As such, we suggest that you pot your impatiens in a fairly large-sized pot.  

Lighting

While lighting may not seem like a big deal, it actually plays a huge role in how your impatiens will fare when you bring them inside. When growing impatiens outdoors, they get a huge amount of natural light. As such, you should try to provide as much natural, indirect light as you can when you bring them indoors.

You might have heard that impatiens are quite tolerant of low-light conditions. However, receiving little light does have quite a negative effect on their flower production. As such, for successful growth, you should be aiming to provide your plant with somewhere between 10 and 14 hours of light per day.

Temperature And Humidity 

When growing impatiens indoors, you should keep the temperature somewhere between 50 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. However, in an ideal situation, the temperature shouldn’t drop below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature goes above 75 degrees Fahrenheit, misting the leaves once a day is a good idea. 

It is important to keep your impatiens away from the drafty or drying areas of the house. They tend to prefer a humidity level of around 50%, but they can do well with a humidity level of anywhere between 30% and 70%. If necessary, we recommend that you purchase a humidifier, to ensure that your impatiens are receiving enough moisture from the air. 

Water Regularly

The key to keeping your impatiens healthy and happy is to water them regularly. We recommend that you water your impatiens until you notice that the excess water is beginning to drain from the pot’s drainage holes. Only water again when the surface of the soil feels dry. 

When it comes to impatiens, you want the lower layers of the soil to remain moist. However, it is important to not over-water your impatiens. This is because overwatering can result in fungal diseases which affect the overall health of your plant. 

Use Fertilizer Sparingly

Regular fertilizing helps plants grow fast. But too much fertilizer can cause problems, including stunted growth and yellowing leaves. So make sure you apply the right amount of fertilizer. 

When it comes to impatiens, we recommend that you proceed with caution. Apply a water-soluble houseplant feed according to the manufacturer’s instructions for the best results. 

Prune

If you’re interested in growing impatiens indoors year-round, you’ll need to prune your impatiens every few weeks. Pruning helps your impatiens stay strong and healthy. The first thing you should do is remove any dead flowers. You should then cut back all of the stems by about one-third. Finally, you should remove any damaged branches. 

Propagating Impatiens

Finally, we thought we’d end by discussing propagation. If you are completely in love with your beautiful impatiens, and you want nothing more than to fill your house or garden with the same variety, why not try to propagate them? 

Impatiens are actually very easy to propagate. Specifically, impatiens are very easy to grow from cuttings. Follow the step-by-step guide below to propagate your favorite impatiens!

1. Cut off a piece of plant shoot that is around 5 inches long. If you can, pick a section with a lot of leaves.

2. Take the leaves and flowers or seed pods off the bottom of the cutting. 

3. Suspend the cutting in water until roots form. Place the cutting in a bright area but away from direct sun.

4. Water daily.

5. Replace the water frequently as it becomes cloudy.

6. When a good amount of roots have formed, plant your cutting in a mixture of soil and perlite. 

7. Grow in a bright area out from direct sun.

8. Keep the potting mix moist.

9. Plant in the ground after the first frost passes. Or, keep indoors. 

Conclusion

Impatiens are wonderful plants. They are beautiful, bright, and hardy plants that look gorgeous both outdoors and indoors. We hope this article has helped you learn how to care for indoor impatiens.