Good news for shade gardeners:
A new impatiens variety called ‘Imara’, at a local nursery, 2020.
‘Imara’ Impatiens
After trials that tested five thousand seedling impatiens plants, Syngenta Flowers has come up with a new variety called ‘Imara’™ XDR (Extra Disease Resistance). Joost Kos, Syngenta’s head of Research and Development, and Ton Groot, Senior Flower Breeder, spent 9 years developing this strain. In 2011, they found one plant that demonstrated very high resistance to impatiens downy mildew. And this plant was the basis for the breeding program that came up with ‘Imara’.
This disease, caused by the pathogen Plasmopara obducens, rendered our beloved Impatiens walleriana into a leafless pile of withering stems. And this wasn’t just a local affliction. It happened across broad swaths of the country and around the world.
In 2011, I grew the variegated ‘Seashells’ impatiens, with soft creamy margins on the leaf edges. Over several weeks, the once-beautiful salmon flowering plants continued to decline. No matter what I did, I couldn’t save them from the fate that was the destiny for almost all impatiens. Soon, greenhouses stopped offering this species for sale.
Impatiens walleriana is a compact seed-grown annual, named in honor of British missionary Horace Waller (1833-1896). The species originated in eastern Africa. ‘Imara’ comes from the Swahili word for “strength and resilience”. Popular in the landscape, impatiens carpeted shady plantings around the world in residential gardens to massive displays in commercial settings and botanical gardens. The plant has been sorely missed. Wholesale growers and retailers felt the pinch when they lost their #1 shade annual.
New Guinea impatiens (I. hawkeri) is a bolder, larger grower and just wasn’t an adequate substitute for our little favorite. And this species costs more because most nursery plants have been vegetatively propagated.
More Impatiens Breeding
In the past few years, newer inter-specific hybrids made it to garden centers. ‘Bounce’ (Selecta Seeds) and ‘Divine’ (Pan American Seeds) were available, but we were hoping to see our old friends again. These two varieties still resembled New Guinea impatiens, with their larger leaves and taller habit.
Pan American Seeds has another new cultivar called ‘Beacon’. This variety shows “high resistance” to IDM, according to The International Seed Federation. But only side-by-side testing between ‘Imara’ and ‘Beacon’ will determine which one performs better in any particular setting.
A Welcome Comeback
In June of 2018 and this year, seeds of ‘Imara’ became available in limited markets. Believe me, the breeder and their licensed propagators are working feverishly to bring enough seed to market. Talk with the growers at your favorite garden center to see if they might stock it. And request this plant by variety name.
Impatiens (always with an “s”, singular or plural) is eaten by deer and rabbits, so take precaution. Sprinkle some blood meal among the plants, or spray with repellents. Regardless, many gardeners will be using ‘Imara’ in their summer garden beds and in planters next year.
‘Imara’ is currently available in these colors: red, rose, pink, white, orange, orange with a white star, salmon shades, violet, and a mixture. New colors certainly will follow. So, make plans now to invite your old friends back to the shady garden. This is a comeback that all gardeners will welcome!
‘Imara’ is now available in pink.