Please post your own comments and pictures as well!

Can one of the mods fix the title? Thanks!

Some from last July

Those streaked balloon flowers are wild! Are they just random anomalies or are they genetically stable?

I have had them from the mid 90s, I inquired about them from White Flower Farm, they asked if I could send some, I did, the response was that they had a difficult time propagating them. It is a nice plant.

Do they variegated ones produce viable seeds? If so, I would like to try them.

They do produce seeds, believe they are viable, since more come up every year. When they seed out I will be happy to send some.

I had the blue/purple couple of years and would like them back; also would like to try the variegated ones too if you, @crawgarden RJ, collect enough seeds.
Thanks

RJ is that Axminster Streaked ? or a sport from one of your plants?

Those are all from my plants, they started showing up in the early to mid 90s, figuring bees doing their work.

I have pink ones as well.


The purple and white ones used to be doubles, but they have reverted back to single form. The pink ones I purchased from a nursery, and the pure and white ones were originally grown from seed.

Beautiful!

I love balloon flowers! I have 30" tall blue single-flowered ones growing next to a walk. I invite visitors to "pop" the buds like my grandmother showed me decades ago. It doesn't harm the flowers, they go ahead and develop normally.

They're easy to grow from seeds. I already had my eye on 'Fairy Snow' at Hazzard's GH. It's white with blue veins. Not as snazzy as those streaky ones Rj @crawgarden has, but different.
https://www.hazzardsgreenhouse...


They have seeds of many Platycodon varieties. Tall, dwarf, single, double, pink, white and of course blue.

I tend to favor the blue ones because there are so few blue flowered perennials that are so easy and so durable. They're in the class of perennials that will outlive the planter if given the chance. Not sure whether to love that or be envious.😄

Pat

Beautiful Andrea!

That is a nice pink, Andrea. I tried pinks in the past but they always turned out to be washed out.

Pat, that streaked one is wild. It reminds me of streptocarpus.

RJ, I was going to ask if that one was Axminster Streaked too. Looks great.

Right now, I only grow Hakone Double Blue which goes between blue and purple.

Beautiful Loretta! No it is not Axminster Streaked, been in my garden since the mid 90s, initially it all started with the single blue and white balloon flowers. Thinking the bees were having their way with the balloon flowers!

My white and purple ones finally gave me a double bloom. I wonder what causes it to change from single to double on the same plant. The plants originally came from a mixed doubles seed packet. I believe they were planted in 2019. The blue/purple one is faded.

Andrea, very beautiful!

Does anyone notice any pollinator activity or any insect at all interested in their balloon flowers?

I don't usually, but have noticed quite a few bee pods on my daylilies, so I know they are around.