Grow Impatiens In Gardens Again With Confidence

NEW Beacon™ Impatiens has High Resistance to Impatiens Downy Mildew

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Mar 26, 2019, 10:00 ET

WEST CHICAGO, Ill., March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The team at PanAmerican Seed is thrilled to announce that this spring, gardeners can once again grow Impatiens ... with confidence! The new Beacon™ Impatiens offer high resistance to the devastating Impatiens downy mildew disease, which caused frustration and plant loss in shade gardens across the globe.

NEW Beacon™ Impatiens has High Resistance to Impatiens Downy Mildew

Beacon Impatiens bloom all season long in hanging baskets, window boxes and patio containers, while quickly filling gardens with cheerful and brightly colored blooms. The new Impatiens offer the same look, size and vibrant color range that gardeners have missed for several years due to the impact of this damaging plant disease. Now, with the launch of Beacon Impatiens, PanAmerican Seed offers an Impatiens downy mildew resistant option, and the chance to enjoy this well-known, easy-to-grow and versatile flower without the risk of losing the plant to destructive disease.

"Since 2011, we've been waiting for the chance to bring Impatiens back, and help gardeners once again grow them with confidence," says Claire Josephson, Product Marketing Manager for PanAmerican Seed. "The new Beacon Impatiens have been years in the making, and we're thrilled to be able to re-introduce impatiens as a quick, easy and colorful solution for flowers in the shade."

In the spirit of bringing color – and happiness – back to gardens all over the world, PanAmerican Seed also announces it will donate 3% of its global Beacon Impatiens sales to a selection of lesser-known charitable organizations to "shine the light" on their causes. The company will select a new charity each gardening season, beginning with The Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) Foundation for the 2019-2020 product launch year.

OI is a genetic bone disorder characterized by fragile bones that break easily, also known as brittle bone disease. It is estimated that 25,000 to 50,000 people in the United States have OI. The donation will go toward helping The OI Foundation improve the quality of life for those living with the disease through research, education, awareness and mutual support.

"Shining a light on OI, a rare disorder, is one way we as a company can put the devastating effects of Impatiens downy mildew behind us and put the next generation of Impatiens to work for others," says Sean Valk, Global Director of Sales for PanAmerican Seed. "By selecting a new lesser-known cause each year, Beacon Impatiens can do as much good as possible."

To purchase Beacon Impatiens, check your local garden centers, as a limited supply will be available in Spring 2019 with the full roll-out planned for Spring 2020.

Visit www.BeaconImpatiens.com to learn more about Beacon Impatiens, to read its origin story, and to get further details about the charitable donation from Beacon Impatiens sales.

Contact: Brigid Parr, [email protected]

SOURCE PanAmerican Seed