Beacon® Violet Shades Impatiens

Beacon® Violet Shades is a named Beacon selection of Impatiens walleriana, identified by Ball Seed with selection code PAS1357834. The breeder describes bright violet and burgundy-violet flowers on an upright, mounded plant with mid-green foliage, 14–18 inches high and 12–14 inches wide, for shade or partial sun; its page lists spring through late-summer bloom. ## Flowers and performance Ball lists the Beacon series for packs, pots, hanging baskets, and in-ground beds. The breeder says Beacon has high resistance to widely prevalent populations of the impatiens downy mildew pathogen Plasmopara destructor, while also stating that the plants are not immune and preventative fungicides may be recommended in some scenarios. Its product catalogue lists Violet Improved separately from Violet Shades; this record retains the Violet Shades name and PAS1357834 identity. ([Ball Seed Violet Shades selection record](https://info.ballseed.com/WEBTRACKPLANTINFO.ASPX?PHID=034701686005789&env=P)) Chicago Botanic Garden's 2020 featured-plant display describes lavender and purple flowers in a mounded form and records blooms from May through October. That is a regional garden observation; Ball lists spring through late summer flowering for the product. ([Chicago Botanic Garden plant record](https://www.chicagobotanic.org/plant-information/plant-finder/impatiens-walleriana-pas1357834-impatiens)) ## Growing conditions NC State describes the species as best in part to full shade and in moist, well-drained soil with organic material; too much sun can scorch foliage, and hot, dry spells increase watering needs. Ball lists medium water and shade or partial sun for this selection. NC State gives zones 10–11 for the species, while the Chicago garden record lists 5–10 for its local display; these are different source contexts, not a verified hardiness range for Violet Shades. ([NC State Extension species profile](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/impatiens-walleriana/)) ## Maintenance Keep soil moist but well-drained, and use shade to partial sun. Monitor moisture in heat or brighter sites. Ball recommends fertilizer only as needed. NC State advises trimming leggy plants by about one-third in late summer to encourage fresh bloom, then removing plants in fall or bringing pots indoors before cold weather. ([Ball Seed Violet Shades selection record](https://info.ballseed.com/WEBTRACKPLANTINFO.ASPX?PHID=034701686005789&env=P); [NC State Extension species profile](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/impatiens-walleriana/))