The Busy Lizzie that would not be touched
THE PLANT Impatiens has the scientific name of Impatiens walleriana, but it is known by some as Busy Lizzie, and others as Touch Me Not.
It is a genus of the family Balsaminaceae, a species of flowering plants native to East Africa, South Asia and New Guinea.
The plant originated in Zanzibar, but it also grows naturally from Tanzania to Mozambique, and in other tropical areas such as South America.
Impatiens is an annual flower which perpetually blossoms in many colours, and grows as a succulent herb 12 to 15 inches high.
It has a tidy, mounding form, and self-cleaning flowers that make it an ideal low-maintenance plant.
Impatiens’ flowers are typically flat, and have five petals and a prominent eye.
These flowers can be found in a wide range of colours: Pink, red, salmon, lavender, white and bi-colours. Some varieties have double flowers, making them look like mini roses. Soft, oval leaves are held on succulent stems.
A floral feature is the slightly curved nectar spur protruding down from the back.  The nectar spur produces and contains a sugary solution that attracts certain animals to serve as pollinators.
Moths and butterflies, with their elongated tube-like proboscis, can reach the sweet nectar in the Impatiens flower spur, and they are the primary pollinators of the genus. Hummingbirds can also be found visiting the flowers.
The plant derived its scientific name, Impatiens (Latin for ‘impatient’) and the common name “touch-me-not” because of its seedy capsules.
When the capsules mature, they “explode” when touched, discharging seeds several metres away.
This mechanism is also known as “explosive dehiscence”, and is a dramatic means of seed dispersal.
Impatiens can be used in beds, borders, planting strips, and containers. The plants are also beautiful in hanging baskets and planters.
Growing Impatiens flowers in containers allows the grower to enjoy a profusion of bright blooms just about anywhere. Brighten up a kitchen windowsill, sunroom or patio with these constant-blooming flowers.
Propagation can be done by stem tip cuttings. The plant roots easily in water or moist soil.
The plants are available at Flower Paradise, on Eccles Public Road, East Bank Demerara, Tel# 233-3029.
Persons who take this clipping along with them to Flower Paradise will get a discount on prices for the Impatiens.