Once the number one bedding plant, its demise was sudden. When bizzie Lizzie mildew broke out, there was no chemical solution available to the public and as it was likely your plants would become infected, most nurseries and retailers stopped production to prevent the mildew spreading. Some retailers have started selling them again, but the mildew spores last for a long time and disease could still be a problem.
Meanwhile, the breeders have been hard at work to find a solution and a resistant variety has been released.
It is possible Bizzy lizzies will stage a mini-revival. In the meantime some companies have promoted new guinea impatiens as an alternative, however, they were originally bred as house plants and are not as happy outside.
Versatile plant happy in sun or shade, after a dramatic demise there are signs it might be safe to use again, new breeding is available.
Impatiens downy mildew, proved to be fatal and couldn’t be controlled by chemicals. It is likely the spores are still active in the soil
