Plant Care Balloon-Flower

Balloon-Flower

About Balloon-Flower

Platycodon means "flat bell". Balloon flower gets its common name from the unopened flower buds which resemble hot air balloons. It grows best in full sun to partial shade and well-drained, slightly acidic soil. It's easy to grow from seed. Division and transplanting are difficult due to the fragile fleshy root system.

Taxonomy

Platycodon grandiflorus
Platycodon
Campanulaceae
Asterales

Also known as

Balloon flower, Platycodon and Chinese bellflower

How to care for Balloon-Flower

💦 Water

How often to water your Balloon-Flower

Water needs for Balloon-Flower
0.5 cups
every 9

Balloon-Flower needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Balloon-Flower

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Balloon-Flower in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Balloon-Flower: 1ft from a window
1ft or less from
a window

Balloon-Flower love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Balloon-Flower does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Balloon-Flower in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Balloon-Flower

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Balloon-Flower: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Balloon-Flower after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

💡 FAQs
⭐ Difficulty Level

Balloon-Flower is generally considered an easy-to-care-for plant and makes a great choice for beginners!

How to Grow Balloon-Flower →

Benefits of Growing Balloon-Flower →

Common Balloon-Flower Problems →

Outdoor Care Guide for Balloon-Flower →


💦 Water Needs

Balloon-Flower prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Balloon-Flower Water Frequency →

Balloon-Flower Root Rot →


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Balloon-Flower requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Balloon-Flower Light Requirements →

Balloon-Flower Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Balloon-Flower is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

Is Balloon-Flower Edible? →

Balloon-Flower Toxicity to Cats →

Balloon-Flower Toxicity to Dogs →

Balloon-Flower Toxicity to Humans →


🪴 Soil

Balloon-Flower does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Balloon-Flower →

Best Pots for Balloon-Flower →

When and How to Successfully Repot Balloon-Flower →

What Are Healthy Balloon-Flower Roots →


⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Balloon-Flower is a clumping plant, meaning new growth will emerge from the soil around the parent plant.

Balloon-Flower Lifecycle →

Balloon-Flower Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Balloon-Flower →


🌦️ Growing Outdoors
🌱 Propagation

Balloon-Flower can be propagated by division into new individual plants.

  • Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
  • If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
  • Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
  • Repot the parent plant back into its original pot

How to Propagate Balloon-Flower →


🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Balloon-Flower, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


Care Summary for Balloon-Flower

Balloon-Flower

Balloon-Flower


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

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