balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Balloon flower is an East Asian widely grown in U.S. gardens, where it blooms through summer. Its balloon-like buds swell before opening into broad, five-pointed blue flowers.

Appearance

Growth form: This clump-forming perennial usually stands 1–2.5 ft (0.3–0.8 m) tall.
Leaves: The blue-green leaves are oval to lance-shaped, toothed, and up to about 2 in (5 cm) long.
Flowers: Rounded buds swell like balloons, then open into blue-purple, outward- or upward-facing flowers 2–3 in (5–7.5 cm) across.
Flowering time: In Missouri gardens, flowering usually runs from June through August.
Fruit: The dry opens to release many small seeds.

Look-alikes

Spotted BellflowerCampanula punctata

Spotted Bellflower has long, down-facing tubular bells, often pale pink with dark spots inside. Balloon Flower has a round inflated bud and a much flatter, up- or outward-facing five-pointed bloom.

Why they get mixed upBoth are garden perennials in the bellflower family.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: sunny borders
rock gardens
well-drained beds
Range: It is native from southeastern Siberia through China, Korea, and Japan. In the United States it is mainly known as a garden perennial rather than a native wildflower.
Preferred conditions: It grows best in full sun to part shade and moderately moist, well-drained soil. Wet, poorly drained soil can cause root rot.
Flowering: Flowers Jun–Aug
Flowers Jun–Aug

Growing it

Care: It grows in 3–8. Because its fleshy roots are fragile, an established plant is best left undisturbed.
Propagation: It grows readily from seed; division is possible but can damage the fleshy roots.

Name and classification

About the name: It was also called Platycodon grandiflorum.
Varieties and forms: Garden cultivars include dwarf plants and blue, pink, white, semi-, or double flowers.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

Culture and stories

Culture and stories: The common name Balloon Flower describes the unopened bud, not the shape of the fully open flower.

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