A fun and interesting flowering perennial plant that recently began blooming in the Ozarks and continues to bloom into late summer is Platycodon grandiflorus. Commonly known as balloon flower, this perennial has pink, white or blue flowers that appear to inflate, then pop open when mature.
Balloon flowers are a member of the Campanulaceae family, and they are known for being long-lived perennial plants. There are many different species of balloon flower that offer varying colors of pink, blue and white.
Ranging in height from two to three feet tall, some species of the plant are prone to “flopping” if they get too tall, but this can be combated by pruning back the plant by one half in late May or early June. Pruning will delay flowering by a couple of weeks. Staking will also keep tall balloon flowers from falling over.
In the Ozarks, balloon flowers prefer full sun in average, well-drained soil. The plant will grow in zones three to eight.
Balloon flowers are slow to establish themselves in the garden, but at maturity, they will be about two feet wide. The plant should be grown from container grown plants, and planted in the spring. Division is practically unnecessary for this plant; it will take many years to require division.
Deadheading will prolong the bloom time for balloon flowers. However, care needs to be taken when deadheading to not damage new buds. Deadheading prior to the plant setting seed will also prevent reseeding which may occur with this plant. After first bloom is done, cutting back the plant may encourage an additional, smaller blooming period.
Balloon flowers have attractive and colorful foliage in the fall which will persist through a few frosts. After the final killing frost, the plant can be cut back to about six inches. It’s wise to leave some dead foliage where the plant was; they are slow to emerge in the spring.
One other interesting note regarding the flower is that the flowers will bloom toward the sun, so keep in mind the path of the sun on your garden when planting this perennial. You will want the flowers to face you, not the back of a perennial bed.
Species of balloon flower that should not require staking are “Mariesii,” a 30-inch deep blue blooming plant, and “Hime Murasaki,” a 12-inch lavender blooming plant.
The balloon flower is an excellent companion plant in the garden, combining well with other summer-bloomers such as daylilies and fuchsia.
Questions or comments related to gardening? Contact Joleen at missourigardener@hotmail.com