Baloon Flower (Platycodon)

Platycodon is a genus of herbaceous perennials in the bellflower family, Campanulaceae. Its plants have neat, ovate leaves and clusters of open, bell-shaped flowers that emerge from large balloon-like buds. The Royal Horticultural Society’s genus profile describes these flowers as opening in late summer, while North Carolina State Extension explains that the familiar balloon-flower buds open into outward-facing bells. The horticultural balloon flower is Platycodon grandiflorus, but this catalog record is intentionally kept at genus level: its scientific name remains Platycodon and no species identity is inferred. This profile therefore describes the genus without assigning a species-specific mature size, hardiness range, or cultivar trait. ## Maintenance For cultivated balloon flower, choose a sunny to partly shaded position with well-drained soil. Avoid disturbing established roots; N.C. State Extension notes that the fleshy roots are fragile and division or transplanting can be difficult. [Royal Horticultural Society](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/190274/platycodon/details) · [N.C. State Extension](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/platycodon-grandiflorus/)