Impatiens hawkeri, the New Guinea impatiens, is a species of flowering plant in the family Balsaminaceae. It is native to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.It has been bred and hybridized in cultivation to produce a line of garden plants.
It was first collected in the Territory of Papua in 1884 and soon became popular as a greenhouse plant. After its discovery, fifteen other similar New Guinea taxa were collected, all of which were later determined to be forms of hawkeri.
Plants with a great variety of flower and leaf colours are sold in nurseries.The species has been crossed with Impatiens aurantiaca and I. platypetala to improve characteristics such as drought-resistance.
Many gardeners are well-acquainted with "Impatiens walleriana," the species that lies behind the colorful garden varieties that brighten up containers, window boxes and shady spots throughout the world. Admirers of this wonderful plant will be surprised to learn that they have barely scratched the surface: the genus "Impatiens" is enormous, comprising over a thousand species--many of which, although highly desirable, remain little known to gardeners.
Ray Morgan unveils this wealth of untapped treasures: a kaleidoscope of rich colors, a broad range of shade tolerance, and an array of unique features. He begins by examining "Impatiens" through a botanical lens, describing their physiology, morphology, and intriguing seed dispersal mechanism. Then, he places "Impatiens" in historical context, recounting Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker's Victorian-era plant-hunting forays into the Himalayas, and noting how modern-day expeditions, with due concern for conservation, continue to bring back species that will find their way into nurseries and gardens.
Perhaps most exciting of all are the descriptions of more than 200 impatiens from around the world that offer immense garden value. Madagascar native "Impatiens bicaudata" makes a showy display with its bright red flowers with yellow centers and purple pollen, and is also drought-tolerant, "Impatiens namchabarwensis," discovered in the world's deepest canyon in Tibet, carries dozens of striking, ultramarine blue flowers with upturned spurs; and "Impatiens balsamina," whose camellia-shaped flowers were once popular in cottage gardens, is ripe for rediscovery.
With over 160 color photos complementing the detailed plant descriptions, this book is essential reading for curious-minded gardeners keen to unearth a fascinating and largely unexplored genus.