Impatiens Walleriana Super Elfin XP White
Impatiens walleriana 'Super Elfin XP White'
A disease-resistant improvement on the classic bedding impatiens, featuring pure white blooms that brighten shady garden areas where few other flowers thrive. This compact variety offers superior resistance to downy mildew, the disease that devastated traditional impatiens, while maintaining the continuous blooming habit gardeners love. The neat, mounded plants create perfect carpets of color in shade gardens, containers, and hanging baskets.
Harvest
70-80d
Days to harvest
Sun
Partial shade
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
6-24 inches
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Impatiens Walleriana Super Elfin XP White in USDA Zone 7
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Impatiens Walleriana Super Elfin XP White · Zones 10–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April – May | June – July | June – August | — |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – June | June – July | — |
| Zone 5 | March – April | May – June | May – July | — |
| Zone 6 | March – April | May – June | May – July | — |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | April – June | — |
| Zone 8 | February – March | April – May | April – June | — |
| Zone 9 | January – February | March – April | March – May | — |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | February – April | — |
| Zone 1 | May – June | July – August | July – September | — |
| Zone 2 | April – May | June – July | June – August | — |
| Zone 11 | January – January | January – February | January – March | — |
| Zone 12 | January – January | January – February | January – March | — |
| Zone 13 | January – January | January – February | January – March | — |
Complete Growing Guide
Light: Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day), Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: High Organic Matter. Soil pH: Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 0 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: Less than 12 inches, 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: Low. Propagation: Seed, Stem Cutting.
Harvesting
The fruit is a dehiscent capsule. It produces explosive capsules that roll suddenly inward and have a ribbed, rubbery-succulent texture. The seed pods burst open in the late summer and fall from September through October.
Color: Green. Type: Capsule. Length: < 1 inch. Width: < 1 inch.
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
History & Origin
Origin: Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe
Advantages
- +Pure white blooms brighten shady areas where few flowers succeed
- +Superior downy mildew resistance improves reliability over traditional impatiens
- +Compact mounded growth creates perfect continuous color carpets effortlessly
- +Excellent for containers and hanging baskets with neat appearance
- +Continuous blooming throughout 70-80 day season requires minimal deadheading
Considerations
- -Vulnerable to gray mold in cool, wet conditions
- -Susceptible to stem rot if soil moisture is excessive
- -Attracts multiple pests including aphids, spider mites, and slugs
Companion Plants
In our zone 7 Georgia gardens, Super Elfin XP White does best sharing a shaded bed with Caladium, Coleus, and Torenia — all of them want the same 4-6 hours of filtered light and steady moisture, and none will crowd the root zone the way a deep-rooted perennial would. Keep Marigold and Lavender out of the immediate area; both are sun-and-drought plants that'll pull the bed's conditions in the wrong direction, and Lavender tends to push soil pH below 6.0 over time, which puts impatiens under unnecessary stress. Black Walnut is a hard no — juglone produced by the roots kills impatiens faster than most annuals, often within a single growing season.
Plant Together
Begonia
Similar shade and moisture requirements, complementary flowering periods
Caladium
Provides contrasting foliage texture while thriving in same partial shade conditions
Coleus
Excellent foliage companion with similar water needs and shade tolerance
Torenia
Similar growing conditions and complementary purple-blue flowers enhance white blooms
Fuchsia
Both prefer cool, moist conditions and partial shade with similar care requirements
Lobelia
Low-growing habit creates nice contrast while sharing moisture and shade preferences
Astilbe
Perennial companion that provides structure and enjoys same moist, shaded conditions
Hosta
Bold foliage provides backdrop for delicate impatiens flowers in shade gardens
Keep Apart
Marigold
Requires full sun and dry conditions, opposite of impatiens shade and moisture needs
Lavender
Needs well-drained, dry soil and full sun, incompatible with impatiens requirements
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that is harmful to impatiens and most flowering annuals
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Excellent resistance to downy mildew (Plasmopara obducens)
Common Pests
Aphids, spider mites, thrips, slugs
Diseases
Gray mold in cool, wet conditions, stem rot if overwatered
Troubleshooting Impatiens Walleriana Super Elfin XP White
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Tiny, distorted new leaves and sticky residue on stems, often with a shiny cast
Likely Causes
- Aphid colony (often green peach aphid, Myzus persicae) feeding on soft new growth
- Ants farming the aphids — if you see ant trails up the stem, that's your tell
What to Do
- 1.Knock aphids off with a strong stream of water from a hose, repeat every 2-3 days
- 2.Spray with insecticidal soap (1-2% concentration) in the early morning so leaves dry before full sun hits
- 3.Disrupt ant activity at the base — they'll reintroduce aphids if left alone
Leaves developing fine bronze or silver stippling, sometimes with thin webbing visible on undersides
Likely Causes
- Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) — almost always worse during hot, dry stretches above 85°F
- Overcrowded planting with poor airflow accelerating population buildup
What to Do
- 1.Spray the undersides of leaves thoroughly with neem oil solution (2 tbsp neem per gallon of water) every 5-7 days for 3 weeks
- 2.Increase irrigation frequency — spider mites thrive in dry conditions, and keeping soil consistently damp cuts into their numbers
- 3.Space plants at least 10-12 inches apart at transplant time to keep air moving through the bed
Stems turning dark and mushy at soil level, plant wilting and collapsing even when soil is wet
Likely Causes
- Stem rot caused by Pythium or Rhizoctonia species — almost always triggered by waterlogged soil or excessive overhead watering
- Planting in a low spot where water pools after rain
What to Do
- 1.Pull and discard the affected plant — there's no saving a stem that's already rotted through
- 2.Let the surrounding soil surface dry slightly before the next watering; these plants want consistent moisture, not saturated roots
- 3.Amend heavy clay beds with compost before planting and confirm the bed drains clear within an hour of a hard rain