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Balloon Flower

Botanical Name
Platycodon grandiflorus
Min Zone
3
Max Zone
8
Height
24 to 36 inches
Flowers
Summer: blue, white, pink; 2 to 3 inches, single and double forms; flower buds are balloon-shaped and will pop when squeezed
Fall Color
Gold
Light
Full to part sun
Soil
Moist, slightly acidic, not tolerant of wet soils
Planting & Care
  • Slow to emerge in spring
  • Deadheading will prolong bloom and improve appearance
  • Easily grown from seed, flowering the second year after sowing
  • Division is tricky because of the fragile, stringy root system
  • Best left undisturbed once established
  • Taller varieties are often floppy and require staking
  • Cutting plants back by half in May will result in fuller plants with sturdier stems
Varieties
  • Double Blue - 18 to 24 inches, double blue flowers
  • Fuji series - seed grown; blue, white or pink
  • Hakone Blue - 20 inches, double blue flowers
  • Apoyama - violet blue flowers all summer long, 10 inches
  • Sentimental series - compact, 6 to 8 inches tall by 12 to 15 inches wide, blue or white flowers
  • Shell Pink - soft pink flowers, 18 to 24 inches, color washes out in full sun

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