Balloon Flower

Balloon Flower (Platycodon grandifloras)  is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial and a member of the Campanula family. Balloon flowers get their name from their distinctive buds, which look like little hot air balloons that are about to burst. They open into star-shaped flowers of vivid violet-blue, pink, or white in the summer. Balloon Flowers are easy to grow, long-lived and tough perennials

Hailing from East Asia, thriving in sun or partial shade, they are wonderful for the front of a herbaceous border or a container and also make for a great cut flower. They are not partial to their roots being disturbed so moving or dividing them is not recommended.

There are various series of Balloon Flowers – for example Astra, Hakone Double, Komachi, Sentimental Blue and Fuji. The Fuji series are the most common varieties sold in nurseries.