Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Flowering Plants, Herbs, Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
China, Eastern Asia, Japan
Central America, Mexico
Types
Platycodon grandiflorus Astra series, Platycodon grandiflorus Fuji series, Platycodon grandiflorus 'Komachi', Platycodon grandiflorus 'Sentimental Blue'
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Number of Varieties
133
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Grassland, Hillside
Floodplains, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-87-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-3
12-1
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.30 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Blue, Pink
Yellow, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Sea Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Sea Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Sea Green
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Cushion
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings, Seperation
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in spring, Prune in summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Slugs, Snails
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Allergy
Asthma, Skin rash
Throat itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-allergy, Antibacterial, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, Asthma, Bronchitis, chest congestion, Cold, Cough, Diabetes, improved insulin resistance, Sore throat, Tonsillitis, tuberculosis
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
PLATYCODON grandiflorus( Apoyama Group)
MELOTHRIA scabra
Common Name
Balloon Flower
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
In Hindi
Balloon flower
Mousemelon
In German
Ballonblume
Maus Melone
In French
balloon Flower
Mousemelon
In Spanish
globo de planta de flor
Mousemelon
In Greek
μπαλόνι εργοστάσιο λουλούδι
πεπόνι ποντίκι
In Portuguese
Balão flor planta
melão rato
In Polish
Balon kwiat roślin
mysz melona
In Latin
balloon flos plant
mouse melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Embryophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Dicotyledonae
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Cucurbitales
Family
Campanulaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Platycodon
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Melothrieae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
5050
1
27800
👆🏻