Impatiens is an annual or perennial grown for its blooms, which open from spring through fall and return year after year. Notably, it shrugs off deer and grows just as well in a container as in the ground. Its flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Zones
Data not available
pH Range
5.5-6.5
Sun
Shade
Days to Maturity
80
Score Impatiens on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether impatiens actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score impatiens against your land's real conditions.
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What Impatiens is
Impatiens grows as an annual or perennial and reaches around a foot and a half at maturity. It blooms from spring through fall. It's also deer-resistant and well suited to containers.
How to grow Impatiens
Impatiens does best in shade — at least 2 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 6.5, on well-drained ground. It needs around 1,200 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 80 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
Data not available
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.5 - 6.5
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Shade
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
well (dry spells)
plant_species_v5.csv
Days to Maturity
80 days
plant_species_v5.csv
GDD Required
1200+
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
1.5 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
80+
plant_species_v5.csv
Start the season right
Plant impatiens in shade with at least 2 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Impatiens prefers pH 5.5 to 6.5 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Cut impatiens blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — impatiens isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Impatiens offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Impatiens thrives
Whether impatiens thrives on a given site comes down to its soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates — the conditions that vary parcel to parcel.
See if Impatiens will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether impatiens actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Impatiens in my zone?
Zone data for impatiens is being finalized. A Growable Ground report checks your parcel's full suitability against federal soil, climate, and zone data.
When should you plant Impatiens?
Most growers plant impatiens after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 80-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Impatiens need?
Impatiens is shade-tolerant — it gets by on as little as 2 hours of direct sun, so it earns a place most vegetables can't use. A north-facing strip or the ground under a leafy canopy is right where it belongs. A Growable Ground report shows which corners of your land stay shaded through the day, turning those dim spots into planting spots.
What soil does Impatiens need?
Impatiens prefers soil pH 5.5 to 6.5, on well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Impatiens attract pollinators?
Yes — impatiens's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Impatiens safe for pets?
Impatiens is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.