New Guinea Impatiens (*Impatiens neuguinea*) and Busy Lizzies (*Impatiens walleriana*) are absolute rockstars when it comes to adding a splash of color to your patio or balcony all summer long. While they might look like cousins, they have some key differences you’ll want to know before you start planting. In this guide, I’ll break down what makes each of these beauties unique and where they have common ground.
What’s the main difference between Busy Lizzies and New Guinea Impatiens?
The biggest giveaway is the foliage and the flowers. New Guinea Impatiens (often called “Edellieschen” in Europe) sport narrow, pointed leaves and much larger blooms than your standard Busy Lizzie. Their “personalities” regarding sunlight are different, too: while Busy Lizzies love the shade, New Guinea Impatiens really need a sunny spot to produce those dense, gorgeous flower clusters.
How can I tell them apart just by looking at them?
You can usually spot the difference by checking out the growth habit and the size of the petals:
New Guinea Impatiens
- Growth: Upright and bushy, reaching about 8 to 16 inches tall.
- Flowers: Large (about 1.5 inches wide) with a long spur.
- Colors: White, yellow, orange, pink, red, purple, and even bicolor.
- Leaves: Elliptical to lance-shaped, often with variegated or multi-colored patterns.
- Location: Full sun to light partial shade.
Busy Lizzies
- Growth: Mound-forming and spreading, usually around 12 inches tall.
- Flowers: Smaller (about 1 inch wide) with a short spur.
- Colors: White, orange, pink, red, or purple.
- Leaves: Elliptical to lance-shaped with slightly toothed edges.
- Location: Partial shade to full shade.
Do they have different sunlight needs?
Yes, and this is the most important part for keeping them happy! You’ll want to give New Guinea Impatiens a sunny, sheltered spot to get the maximum amount of blooms. On the other hand, Busy Lizzies are the queens of the shade. They prefer partial shade where they only get a bit of gentle morning or evening sun. They also look fantastic tucked under the dappled shade of trees.
Just a heads-up: be careful with intense midday sun, especially on a south-facing balcony. That harsh light can actually scorch the leaves of Busy Lizzies, leaving them looking a bit crispy.
What do these two Impatiens have in common?
Both New Guinea Impatiens and Busy Lizzies are perfect choices for seasonal containers, window boxes, and patio pots. They are incredibly hardworking plants, blooming non-stop from May all the way through October. Since they have similar watering and feeding needs, they actually make great neighbors in a mixed garden bed—as long as you find a spot that hits that “sweet spot” of light for both.
If you have the right soil and light conditions, you can also plant them directly in your garden beds as colorful groundcover.
Pro Tip: Overwintering your Impatiens
These “ever-bloomers” are extremely sensitive to frost. In most U.S. climates, we treat them as annuals and plant fresh ones every spring. While you *can* try to overwinter them indoors in a bright room (around 50-60°F), it’s usually only worth the effort for young, healthy plants. If you do bring them inside, water them just enough so the root ball doesn’t completely dry out.