Balsam Bush Park’s Mix

Flowers from Summer to Frost in 4 Colors!
Happy in sun or shade!
Genus: Impatiens
Species: balsamina
Variety: Park’s Mix
Item Form: (P) Pkt of 100 seeds
Bloom Start to End: Early Summer – Late Fall
Habit: Compact
Seeds Per Pack: 100
Plant Height: 24 in
Plant Width: 18 in
Bloom Size: 2 in
Additional Characteristics: Bird Lovers, Bloom First Year, Double Blooms, Flower, Free Bloomer, Needs Deadheading, Repeat Bloomer, Rose Companions
Bloom Color: Lavender, Mix, Pink, Red, Rose
Foliage Color: Dark Green
Light Requirements: Full Sun, Part Shade
Moisture Requirements: Moist,  well-drained
Soil Tolerance: Normal,  loamy
Uses: Border, Outdoor

Finally, Rose Balsam is back on the radar! This Victorian garden favorite has been neglected for too long, but we are delighted to announce that it has returned with a vengeance, thanks to this new super-compact, ultra-colorful mix!

Park’s Balsam Bush Mix debuted in our trial gardens last season and become the hit of Flower Day, attracting more interest and questions than nearly any other flowering plant. Not only does this annual go from seed to bloom in just 2 months (!), it thrives in sun or shade and blooms from summer to frost! How many plants can we say that about?!

Compact, bushy, and very free-flowering, this mix sports big 2-inch blooms in pink, red, lavender, and rose. They arise all along the stems, which makes deadheading difficult, but if you do pinch off those you can easily reach, you’ll get new blossoms all the faster. And the foliage is attractive too — dense, bushy, and bright.

Balsam makes a nice companion to other heavy feeders in the garden, such as roses, phlox, and hollyhocks. It needs consistent moisture, and appreciates an application of fertilizer every 2 weeks or so during the growth and bloom seasons. Given that, it can take as much or as little sun as you want to give it, with afternoon shade ideal in most climates.

Bees and birds both seek out the nectar in these flowers, making Balsam a good choice for the butterfly garden or for a choice birdwatching spot in the backyard. Get your binoculars and camera ready!

Park’s Balsam Bush Mix reaches 24 inches high and about 18 inches wide. One of its common names is Touch-Me-Not and another is Jumping Betty, and they probably both arose for the same reason: if you brush against or handle the seedpods in autumn, they will burst open, scattering seeds everywhere (and probably frightening poor Betty long ago!) So if you want this annual to take up residence in the garden, let the seeds pop where they will!

To begin the seeds, germinate them at 70 degrees F. Germination only takes 4 to 7 days, so you might want to wait until spring to begin them indoors, because you shouldn’t transplant them until night temperatures consistently remain above 60 degrees F. In the garden, space the plants about a foot apart for nice dense coverage. Quick and easy, these plants belong in your annual beds this season! Packet is 100 seeds.