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.
Hybrid New Guinea impatiens are a group of impatiens that result from crossing the species Impatiens hawkeri with other closely related species of impatiens such as I. platypetala and I. aurantiaca. Hybrid New Guinea impatiens are a very popular bedding plant. Most selections feature larger plants, larger flowers and better performance in part shade areas than the popular standard impatiens. They are commonly grown in part shade to shade areas, with little tolerance for full sun. Leaves are in whorls of 3 to 7 leaflets. Oval to elliptic leaflets (2-4" long) are dark green to bronze to variegated. Flattened 5-petaled flowers come in a variety of colors including white, pink, orange, red, violet, and purple. Plants typically grow to 6-18" tall. Flowering is non-stop from May to frost. Genus name comes from the Latin word impatiens meaning impatient in reference to the violent seed discharge from the ripe pods.