Impatiens (Impatiens BOUNCE SERIES)
Discover Impatiens BOUNCE SERIES, a popular annual offering continuous blooms from May to October in part shade conditions.
Scroll down to discover growing tips, care requirements, companion plants, and more
Complete Plant Information
Overview
The Impatiens BOUNCE SERIES represents a premium selection within the hybrid New Guinea Impatiens group, bred for superior garden performance. These plants are highly valued for their vibrant, non-stop flowering display that persists reliably from late spring until the first autumn frost. Gardeners appreciate the robust nature of these hybrids compared to standard Impatiens varieties.
These specific cultivars are derived from crossing Impatiens hawkeri with other related species, resulting in healthier plants with larger flowers suitable for partial sunlight conditions. The Impatiens BOUNCE SERIES features a pleasing rounded to spreading habit, making them excellent landscape fillers.
Offering continuous color in shaded areas, these annuals provide fantastic aesthetic value, transforming dark corners into bright focal points across the garden season. Enjoying medium water needs and medium maintenance, they are a staple choice for summer bedding displays.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Balsaminaceae
- Plant Type: Annual
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 10-11
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 1.25-1.75 ft
- Spread: 1.25-1.75 ft
- Bloom Time: May to October
- Bloom Description: White, Red, Pink
- Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Medium
How to Grow
Plant these vigorous Impatiens as soon as all danger of frost has passed. They thrive best in organically rich, well-drained soils, performing optimally with bright morning sun exposure followed by afternoon shade. If grown in hotter climates, ensure they receive protection from intense direct sunlight, which can scorch the foliage.
Maintain even moisture; these Impatiens prefer medium watering and will appreciate consistent hydration, especially when planted in raised beds where soil tends to dry out faster. To promote a bushy, mounded shape, pinch back the stems of young plants early in the season. If the plants become leggy mid-summer, a moderate trim will encourage fresh branching and renewed blooming.
For gardeners outside USDA Zones 10-12, these annuals will not survive winter outdoors. After the first hard frost, gardeners can choose to trim back a prized specimen to overwinter indoors on a sunny windowsill, ensuring it stays consistently watered. The BOUNCE Series provides reliable performance through the growing season, simplifying summer annual care.
Landscape Uses
The versatile nature of Impatiens BOUNCE SERIES makes them invaluable for adding concentrated color where turf grass struggles. They are perfectly suited for mass plantings in beds and borders, creating thick carpets of continuous color beneath taller shrubs or trees. Their height (up to 1.75 ft) also makes them effective as a slightly taller ground cover alternative in shady spots.
Beyond the ground plane, these plants excel in containers, window boxes, and especially hanging baskets where their spreading habit can cascade gracefully over the edges. When grouping them, select companions that share similar part shade requirements and medium water needs, such as Hostas, Tiarella, or deep-shade loving ferns.
Consider using the Impatiens BOUNCE SERIES for edging along shaded paths to brighten dark walkways, or utilize them in mixed container arrangements to provide necessary mid-height flowering interest. Their dense foliage and bright flowers ensure continuous visual appeal all summer long.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Hybrid New Guinea impatiens are a group of impatiens that result from crossing the species Impatiens hawkeri with other closely related species of impatiens such as I. Platypetala and I. Aurantiaca. These cultivars are renowned for larger flowers and better performance in partial shade versus standard impatiens. The BOUNCE Series specifically features a rounded to spreading habit and intense, non-stop flowering from May until frost.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
Potential Problems
Fortunately, Impatiens BOUNCE SERIES plants are reported to exhibit high resistance to aggressive downy mildew, a major historic concern for I. walleriana types. However, gardeners must remain vigilant for other potential issues. Disease risks include impatiens necrotic spot virus, fungal blights, powdery mildew, and various rot problems if drainage is poor.
Insect control requires watching for common greenhouse pests which can thrive in humid conditions, including aphids, mealybugs, thrips, and whitefly. Slugs and snails may also target young, tender foliage. While the leaves scorch easily in strong sun, providing sufficient moisture can allow some cultivars in this group to tolerate more sun than traditional Impatiens.
Management involves ensuring good air circulation through proper spacing and promptly removing any diseased foliage. Inspect plants regularly for early signs of infestation and treat with appropriate insecticidal soap or targeted controls for pests like spider mites.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Impatiens BOUNCE SERIES suitable for?
This annual is winter hardy only in USDA Zones 10-11, though it is most commonly grown as a seasonal bedding plant outside these zones.
How large does Impatiens BOUNCE SERIES grow?
This plant typically reaches a mature height between 1.25 and 1.75 feet, with a similar spread of 1.25 to 1.75 feet.
What sun exposure does Impatiens BOUNCE SERIES need?
Impatiens of this series prefer shaded conditions, thriving best in part shade to full shade exposure, generally needing protection from strong afternoon sun.
When does Impatiens BOUNCE SERIES bloom?
The impressive bloom time for these favorites begins in May and continues consistently through October, offering shades of White, Red, and Pink.
Conclusion
The Impatiens BOUNCE SERIES delivers outstanding, reliably colorful annual displays, particularly valued for bridging dark garden spots with their large flowers and spreading habit. Their improved vigor over older types makes them a reliable choice for summer bedding. Before planting, ensure your location offers suitable fall frost protection or plan to replace your vibrant Impatiens each spring.
Companion Planting
When designing a shade garden featuring Impatiens, focus on complementary textures and colors that thrive in similar cultural conditions. Hostas provide excellent broad-leaf contrast to the finer foliage of the Impatiens BOUNCE SERIES. For low-growing texture, Heuchera (Coral Bells) offers depth with their foliage colors, which range from deep purple to lime green, all while enjoying the same dappled sunlight.
Consider using creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) as a bright, low-mounding companion near the edges of beds or containers. This provides a vibrant splash of chartreuse that pops against the reds, whites, and pinks of the Impatiens. Successful companion planting relies on matching the medium water needs and the preference for rich, moist soil that these excellent shade flowers require.
Design Ideas for Containers
The semi-mounding and spreading nature of the Impatiens BOUNCE SERIES makes them nearly perfect “filler” or “spiller” plants in mixed container designs. In a large pot, use a taller annual like a Dracaena or fountain grass as the ‘thriller’ element. Position the Impatiens nestled just below the thriller, allowing their foliage and flowers to softly spill over the container lip.
For smaller containers or window boxes, the BOUNCE Series can often stand alone as the singular feature required for continuous color. Ensure containers have excellent drainage, as Impatiens intensely dislike sitting in stagnant water, which can quickly lead to rot or fungal issues. Utilize a high-quality potting mix amended with compost for optimal performance throughout the long flowering period.
