Impatiens rothii

[JohnH]

I recently aquired a plum sized tuber of Impatiens rothii. Not wanting to repeat the overwatering and drainage issues I had with flanaganae any help would be greatly appreciated.
It must be a little more forgiving, I have already moved it around the garden and planted it 5 times in the last 2 weeks :shock:
How hardy is it proving to be and what is the best way to grow it?
Cheers

[charlie]

Cant help with the plant but it nice to see Impatiens getting a mention after a gap of a few years now, hopefully one of the others can help!

[Paul S]

I've grown it for a few years. It seems less fussy about soil that flanaganae or tinctoria. It's probably my least favourite as it gets a bit straggly and weedy with smaller flowers but nevertheless I am pleased to have it. I notice it is making an appearance at the moment whereas flanaganae hasn't yet - tinctoria has been up for a while.

[AndyC]

Cant help with the plant but it nice to see Impatiens getting a mention after a gap of a few years now

Mortified I am, it was just two weeks ago that I attempted to show off my patch of Impatiens omeiana on here :)

I can't help either. I've grown lots of differnet Impatiens over the years but I don't recall trying I. rothii

[Chad]

Here in inland Cornwall I.rothii is reliably perennial and gently self seeding giving a range of pink shades.

It has self sown into a pocket of soil in a buttress and seems as happy there as in good loam, but I did water it several times last year in the drought.

It doesn't seem to be fussy, unlike I.flanaganae which I haven't got to do more than survive.

I.tinctoria here is tough and reliable, but not self sowing.

I'm still experimenting with I.gomphophylla. Has anyone any advice on what makes this one happy?

Chad

[Paul S]

I'd like to know as well. Lost it almost immediatly, so I think it needs it very wet.

Also folk's thoughts on I. balansae. It is my 'litmus' plant for watering - as soon as the leaves wilt I know that small bed it's in needs watering. Twice a day last summer if I could be bothered. Still not got it to flower, either - maybe that's why! :D Still, it is a nice foliage plant :D

[Chad]

I haven't tried balansae, but I note Farmyard Nurseries show it without flowers, so I don't think you are alone in only having leaves!

Chad

[Chad]

Mortified I am, it was just two weeks ago that I attempted to show off my patch of Impatiens omeiana on here :)

I gave up with Impatiens omeiana. It disappears in my garden by July and may or may not reappear the following year.

Even when present it never looked good here.

Chad

[AndyC]

I think my !mpatiens omieana may not last much longer, the soil is drying out at a rate of knots.

[JohnH]

Your I. omeiana looked really superb Andy, I must say they have never looked as good as that here. Mine seem to skirt along the eges of borders and paths, and never want to sit in a tidy clump. At one stage I had more omeiana appearing through gaps in some old decking than in the border.
It is always disappointing when they disappear underground as soon as the weather warms up and the moisture levels drop, the 'long leaf' form was always the first to sulk and has now given up completely.

I am quietly relieved to hear flanaganae is a bit of a diva and its demise was not entirely my fault. It would wilt in the sun and I would water it, and the more I watered it the more it wilted until it completely rotted away. It just hated my soil, I probably should have left it in the shade and ignored it.

I have grown I. pritzelii 'Sichuan Gold' for several years and find it easy, well behaved and very hardy, but has any one tried pritzelii 'Hubei Red'? Growild have this one listed, but unfortunately I missed out and it is now out of stock. It sounds very interesting.