Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Anyone know anything about impatiens plants?

I have a big healthy-looking impatiens plant in a planter by an open window. A couple days ago, I noticed clear 'crystals' hanging on the underside of each leaf and along the branches. When I touch them, they come off in my hand and are sticky. Is this normal? Also, I've noticed the past couple days that there seems to be an increased number of flies around the plant- does it 'draw' insects? (It's going outside, if that's the case!) The plant is beautiful... just checking to see what's normal... Thanks!

Update:

Location is Eastern Europe.

Thanks for your help, everyone. Actually the 'overwatering' sounds like the answer- I'd been gone nearly 2 mos and my friend had the plants. Came back, picked up the plants but what with having been gone there was a lot of stuff to take care of- I FORGOT my poor plants; the impatiens wilted big-time... so I doused it big-time... the time element is right for this! Also, the flies are just ordinary flies... maybe it just happened that they were there!

3 Answers

Relevance
  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    When they are overwatered impatiens secrete excess water through nectaries on the leaves with a bit of sugar which can form crystals. This is completely natural and nothing to worry about, but you might want to cut back on watering a bit. The flies are a bit more of a concern. Could be whiteflies or fungus gnats or another insect attracted to the sugar.

    Give it a week on slightly reduced water and see if the flies go away. If not, catch a few and take them to a garden center and ask if they are whiteflies.

  • 1 decade ago

    All plants draw wildlife of a variety of sorts. It may be the honeydew left behind by aphids, a small green insect. Check the plant for small green insects at the base of the plant. The honeydew is their waste product. If the health of this plant start to decline, something is chewing on it. Mix ivory dish soap, 1-2 ounces, per gallon of water and spray the entire plant down. This makes the plant taste awful, and subsequently, the critters leave it alone.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    This seems to be a normal thing. Most probably it has good smell . It is insect attractant , that is what I feel ; but in the absence of a photo I am not of much help . There are many species of that plant.

    They grow in different countries.

    I do not know where is it growing.

    Source(s): Botanist
Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.