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Top Questions About Balloon Flowers

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Questions About Balloon Flowers

  • Answered by
    MichiganDot on
    October 14, 2017
    A.

    Wait until the pods turn brown. Take the entire pod inside and slice through it lengthwise. The seed should fall out. Make sure the seeds are dry. Store them in a paper envelope placed in a glass jar in the 'frig.

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  • Answered by
    BushDoctor on
    November 29, 2017
    Certified Expert
    A.

    This is a common occurrence. Purple is caused by the antioxidant pigment chemical called anthocyanin. This happens to be a very unstable chemical that can lay dormant in a co-dominant genetic fashion. Often times it can be brought about by temperature changes. This is nothing to worry about. Also, over time, the plants may cross-breed. This will cause natural color change over a few generations as well. Enjoy watching the process of natural selection at work!

    Here is an article for more information on the flower: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/balloon-flower/growing-balloon-flowers.htm

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  • Answered by
    Gardening how much on
    May 7, 2018
    A.

    I cut it down as soon as the purple leaves got worse and put the leaves in the bin.

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  • Answered by
    MichiganDot on
    May 6, 2018
    A.

    I'm not sure what you are asking. Like hibiscus, balloon flower is typically late to emerge in spring. If your question is that the leaves turned purple last year and it wasn't due to cold weather, it may have had Botrytis, gray mold or another fungal infection. Inspect the leaves as they emerge and if you see disfigured leaves, send a detailed description or a picture and we'll try to ID the problem. I wouldn't treat the plant with an anti-fungal unless you see early evidence of leaf disease.

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  • Answered by
    BushDoctor on
    May 10, 2018
    Certified Expert
    A.

    Cutting them back may help, but there is a great chance that they are dead. This is unfortunate, but that is what the chemical was designed to do.

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  • Answered by
    Downtoearthdigs on
    May 10, 2018
    A.

    24D will kill nearly all broad leafed plants. You can take the wait and see approach, but this may call for a trip to the garden center!

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  • Answered by
    Downtoearthdigs on
    June 16, 2018
    A.

    Balloon flowers benefit from deadheading. This process removes the spent blossoms before they begin producing seed, encouraging the plant to produce more flowers.
    Since balloon flowers bloom all summer long, they also benefit from severe deadheading and cutting back at mid-season, which encourages them to remain full and productive.

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  • Answered by
    susanlawlor on
    July 1, 2018
    A.

    Does that mean there’s nothing I can do to get the color more bright blue the way it was when I bought it? I have heard adding egg shells to hydrangeas can change their color, is there anything that I can add to my balloon flower?

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  • Answered by
    Downtoearthdigs on
    July 1, 2018
    A.

    Your plant is likely a hybrid and the colors are reverting or showing traits of one or more of the parent plants.

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  • Answered by
    MichiganDot on
    July 18, 2018
    A.

    We've all been told that dead-heading prolongs blooming. This is true of balloon flower. I cut off spent blooms a couple times a week but I know others who don't. I find it relaxing; others find it a chore. I think the plant looks better without all those seed pods and dead-heading prevents prolific self-sowing. Ultimately, you are the gardener and what works best for you is fine. If you dead-head, do so very carefully as often the next bloom is very close to the stem of the expired bloom. Cut the flower off close to the flower stem. Do not cut the flower stems until late in the season when the leaves begin to die off. A totally different approach is to not deadhead but to cut the entire plant back by half after the first flush of bloom is over. As with catmint, this may trigger another flush of bloom.

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