Balloon Flower (Platycodon grandiflorus)

Balloon Flower

(Platycodon grandiflorus)

Balloon Flower (Platycodon grandiflorus)

Oleg Kosterin

CC BY 4.0

Image By: Oleg Kosterin

Recorded By:

Estimated Native Range

Summary

Platycodon grandiflorus, commonly known as Balloon Flower, is a deciduous perennial herb native to meadows, slopes, and riverbanks in East Asia, including Korea, Japan, and China. It typically grows to 60 cm (24 in) tall by 30 cm (12 in) wide. The plant features ovate to lanceolate dark green leaves and is known for its distinctive flower buds that inflate like balloons before opening into star-shaped, vibrant blue flowers. The blooms, which can also be white or pink depending on the cultivar, appear in July and August and are quite showy, making them a favorite in ornamental gardens. The flowers have five petals fused at the base, creating a bell shape reminiscent of its relatives, the campanulas.

Balloon Flower is valued for its unique buds and striking blue flowers, which add a splash of color to borders and cottage gardens. It is also used in traditional medicine in Asia. The plant is winter-hardy, surviving temperatures down to −40 °C (−40 °F), and is suitable for USDA zones 3A to 9b. It dies back in winter and re-emerges in late spring. While it prefers full sun or part shade, it is adaptable to various soil types with different drainage speeds. The ’Apoyama group’ and ’Mariesii’ are popular cultivars that have received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. Potential problems include slugs and snails, which may damage young shoots, and root rot if grown in poorly drained soils.CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Description

Plant Type: Herb
Height: 1-2.5 feet
Width: 1-1.5 feet
Growth Rate: Moderate
Flower Color: Blue, Purple, White
Flowering Season: Summer
Leaf Retention: Deciduous

Growth Requirements

Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Water: Medium
Drainage: Slow, Medium, Fast

Common Uses

Bank Stabilization, Bee Garden, Bird Garden, Border Plant, Butterfly Garden, Deer Resistant, Edible*Disclaimer: Easyscape's listed plant edibility is for informational use. Always verify the safety and proper identification of any plant before consumption., Hummingbird Garden, Potted Plant, Rock Garden, Salt Tolerant, Showy Flowers, Street Planting

Natural Habitat

Meadows, slopes, and riverbanks in East Asia

Other Names

Common Names: Balloon-Flower, Ballonklokje, Chinese-Bellflower, Jie Geng, 도라지

Scientific Names: , Platycodon grandiflorus, Platycodon mariesii, Platycodon grandiflorus f. albiflorus, Campanula grandiflora, Platycodon grandiflorus var. glaucus, Platycodon grandiflorus var. albus, Platycodon glaucus, Platycodon grandiflorus f. angustifolius, Platycodon autumnalis

GBIF Accepted Name: Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A.DC.