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Rare and exotic plants
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The island of Madagascar is home to this intriguing, rare species that few people have seen before. Impatiens bicaudata has little resemblance to common Impatiens, with its oddball, multicolor flowers that sort of look like crested birds. The plant is also unusually robust, growing up to 6 feet tall! It puts out loads of blooms throughout the year, making for a very showy conversation piece. This is a great species for collectors of weird & wonderful plants!
Impatiens bicaudata is a perennial species with an upright, shrubby growth habit. Its succulent, red stems develop a woody appearance with age and can get incredibly thick - up to 4 inches wide at the base! The hooded blossoms are a little over an inch tall and appear most months of the year. Outdoors here in cool San Francisco they have reddish tones, while indoors in warmer conditions they can be more pinkish or orangey. They have interesting yellow & red markings inside, and bright purple pollen! You can create interesting new hybrids by crossing it with some other Impatiens from Madagascar, like my Impatiens tuberosa or Impatiens auricoma.
It comes from a climate that is mild all year, with nights that are cool. It is untested in warmer climates such as Florida, so consider it experimental in hot conditions with warm nights (over 65°F / 18°C). It needs protection from freezing temperatures. It likes bright, filtered light or morning sun. Give it some protection from strong afternoon sun. Like most Impatiens, it enjoys fertile, well-draining soil that's kept evenly moist. Over about 40% humidity is best. In the right conditions, it is easy and long-lived.
Germination tips for this plant
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