Hi Jane: I've been aware of Sunpatiens but was skeptical that the "sun" part included Florida sun. Your enthusiasm caused me to do a bit of research and now I'm going to give them a try this year.

From what I've read, they root from cuttings just as easily as the regular impatiens do, but this isn't the ideal time to do so. However, you have nothing to lose from trying. Please let us know if you are successful.

Meanwhile, thanks for sharing your positive experience with these little (or maybe I should say "huge") blooming machines, June

Thanks for the info Jane...can you buy these at the big box stores?

I picked up my sunpatients at HD, but have also seen them at Lowes. Mine are planted in full sun on the south side of the house in front of a light colored wall. I just put them in this past fall, but they are doing great.

One caveat - they need more water than I had anticipated. Maybe that's due to absolutely no shade in the area, or maybe because it is a very well draining area. But like regular impatients, a good watering will bring back even the most wilted plants.

Thanks Crenda...I will look for them next time I'm out.

Mine have been growing in full, south sun also. I looked at my notes and I planted them March 25, 2013. Almost a year and they continue to bloom. Mine have been so neglected as I rarely water the front of the house and have no sprinklers.

I looked at them today and do not see any seedlings and the seed pods are empty, not really developed. I am assuming they are sterile. I might attempt some cuttings although, I'm almost afraid to touch them. They are at least 2ft tall and as wide.

I did lost about 8 of them over the year. I'm sure due to lack of water but it appears the lighter colors died off and only the deeper colors are still growing.

This photo shows two of them. There are 4 more which are not in the photo. I had planted so many other flowers in this big bed and most are long gone! I also planted 8 Hibiscus plants and they were eaten to the ground by those silver weevils.

I wonder if seed is available or these plants are sold as cuttings? I will definitely plant them again. I purchased these on QVC (of all places). Happened to flip channels last year and saw them. I'm pleasantly surprised!

Jane

I never saw seeds for them.

Hi
I'll have to try them Only ones I've grown are the regular
walleriana Fantastic during winter toast by May lol
This year I went with Lobelia, Verbena and hybrid Pansy
Years ago I used to plant them in the folds of cabbage palms . Really spectacular during winter
Note your Canary still has some yellow fronds did you try the ferts they recommended??
Might work I always just cut off the yellow ones lol gary

I've had these in pots for over a year - they wilt without water but soon recover. I've cut them back a couple of times and some cuttings have rooted in water. They are in full sun. Always look good so I'm happy!
Hester

Very nice, Hester!

Jane - I forgot to mention that my entire property has pea gravel instead of mulch. I must have 50 tons of the stuff! I think that adds to the heat and water evaporation. It's funny that your light ones are gone and my pink ones seem to be outgrowing the reds. I haven't had them during a summer yet, so we'll see how that goes.

Crenda, that is odd. I just assumed the lighter colors couldn't take the heat.

Hester, love the look in pots and on a patio. I'm so bad taking care of the plants in front of my house. I only notice the beds when I come or go and they truly get neglected. The beds in the rear yard get attention because I spend more time there. I certainly plan to plant these again when they become available.

Gary, you are right. That tree always yellows. I did try fertilizer last Spring and Summer. Haven't since then. If I could reach those fronds, I would cut them off. Poor tree gets neglected too. I'll spread some fertilizer this Spring.

Jane

You folks have had much better luck with them than I did when I tried them a couple (few?) years back.

They did live and bloom all summer, but they had to be watered every day, and still wilted every afternoon. Yes, I tried watering them in the late morning before the heat hit - when it was hot and sunny they wilted even if the soil was still damp.

Maybe it was a soil problem - the "soil" they were planted in was pretty much just sand.

Or it could be that since they were spring-planted, they didn't have time to establish enough of a root system before the heat arrived. But I don't think they are winter-hardy in North Florida, so I have to spring-plant them.

Glad to hear others are enjoying them, though. They sure are pretty!

How are these different from regular New Guinea Impatiens?

I always thought it was the same thing.

SunPatiens is a cross between the traditional New Guinea Impatiens and a wild Impatiens producing a full sun and high heat-loving variety. New Guinea Impatiens need afternoon shade to prevent scorching (or so says the info) and SunPatiens do not. SunPatiens can supposedly survive the summer heat better, too.

Jane - I just read that only a couple of SunPatiens' seeds are available. The only way to propagate is by cuttings, so . . . you go for it! Apparently they root quickly. I've never tried it whith any impatiens, so can't tell you how well it will work. Seems like I can only root hibiscus, dracaena and ti plants. I guess that is something, but how many of those do I need?

Thanks!

Thanks, Crenda. I think its too late to get cuttings but worth a try unless they get hit with the cold snap.

I grew Impatients from seed for many years at my home in NY. I always started the seed under lights in Jan and filled my large beds with them in May. Very easy to grow from seed. I also would get lots of cuttings as I pruned them before putting in the ground. They root easily from cuttings.

I'm at a loss with these as I've never had them live and bloom so long. The other weird thing, I rarely fertilized. My soil is terrible, pure sand but I did lay a layer of wood chips in May. Maybe that helped.

Got lots of info and I appreciate all the responses.

Jane

Some time ago I took an indoor tour to Knox nursery, it was very informative and one of the things they said was that they had a lot of demand for the plugs of sunpatients, they supply the big box stores and the parks like Disney and here they use it a lot in their flower displays, I saw nice designs and they use all the colors of the sunpatients. If anybody lives close by the flats are very economical at the Knox nursery, they sell also cuttings but I think those are wholesale.

The nursery

Silvia

Do be aware-the demand for Sunpatiens and the similar "Fanfare" series from Ball Seed is likely to grow and grow....now that regular Impatiens walleriana is being plagued by a new-ish disease problem-downy mildew. Many growers are cutting that old standby right out of their production plans.

I've grown both Fanfare and Sunpatiens up here in Wisconsin for years. In either case, by the end of our growing season, these things can easily be 36 inches tall......or even more! That's in Wisconsin!

+oM