Scientific Name:
Platycodon grandiflorus
Pronunciation:
plat-ee-KOH-don gran-dih-FLOR-us
Common Name:
balloon flower
Family Name:
Campanulaceae
Plant Type:
Herbaceous perennial
Key ID Features:
Leaves ovate to lanceolate, most mature to 4-5 cm long x 2-3 cm wide, serrate; flower buds resemble hot air balloons that pop when squeezed, flowers 4-6 cm wide with 5 large, petals, 5 stamens, and star-like stigma with 5 branches.
Habit:
Upright
Form:
Mounded
Texture:
Medium - coarse
Mature Height:
0.4 - 0.7m
Mature Spread:
0.3 - 0.6m
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Origin:
S.E. Asia / Japan / China
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 3: (-40 to -34 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Landscape Uses:
Container planting, Perennial border, Rock garden
Additional Info:
Google. Cultivars shown or on campus may include
P. 'Apoyama',
P. 'Astra Blue',
P. 'Astra White', and
P. 'Sentimental Blue'.
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Opposite
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Colour in Summer:
Dark-green
Colour in Fall:
Yellow
Shapes:
Lanceolate, Ovate
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Rounded
Margins:
Serrate
Inflorescence Type:
Cyme, Floriferous, Panicle-like
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
5
Corolla Shape:
Campanulate
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White, Blue, Purple, Pink
Flower Time at Peak:
Jun, Jul, Aug
Fruit Type:
Capsule
Fruit Colour:
Brown, Black
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Bark or Stem Colour:
Green
Maintenance:
Low
Other:
Fragile roots are best let undisturbed; prune back in May; deadhead to promote more blooms
Pest Susceptibility:
Fungal leaf spot, Mildew, Root rot, Slugs or snails (Pest resistant)
