Minimum Temperature for Impatiens
Most varieties of impatiens are small, flowering ornamental plants. All species belong to the balsam family. Impatiens are native to tropical areas, such as Mozambique, so they cannot tolerate frost or cold temperatures.
Description
Impatiens is typically a small plant. The leaves have a fine to medium texture and can be somewhat fleshy. Flowers bloom all summer and come in shades of white, pink, orange, peach, red and bi-color. Both dwarf and tall forms exist; plants range from eight- to 24-inches-tall.
- Most varieties of impatiens are small, flowering ornamental plants.
Growing Impatiens
Impatiens will drop its small seeds and naturalize in tropical regions. It does nicely as a potted or hanging plant and prefers partial shade. Because it is an annual, you must replace it every spring, even if you attempt to protect it from winter cold. Impatiens grows well in standard potting soil or slightly acidic to neutral garden soil.
Minimum Temperature
When you grow impatiens as a houseplant, it prefers temperatures above 50 degrees F. However, it will not die until the temperature drops to 32 degrees (freezing) or lower, according to the West Virginia University Extension Service.
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Writer Bio
Barbara Fahs lives on Hawaii island, where she has created Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden. Fahs wrote "Super Simple Guide to Creating Hawaiian Gardens" and has been a professional writer since 1984. She contributes to "Big Island Weekly," "Ke Ola" magazine and various websites. She earned her Bachelor of Arts at University of California, Santa Barbara and her Master of Arts from San Jose State University.
