Balloon Vine Cardiospermum corindum
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Balloon Vine:
- Phonetic Spelling
- kar-dee-oh-SPUR-mum ko-RIN-dum
- Description
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Balloonvine is a tendril-climbing evergreen vine in the maple family (Sapindaceae). It has showy white flowers followed by even shower bladder-like fruits that resemble balloons, hence the common name. Most members of this family are trees or shrubs, so balloon vine is unique. It can reach a height and width of 10 feet or more.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cardiospermum
- Species:
- corindum
- Family:
- Sapindaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southern U.S.A. to Argentina, Africa, China, Srilanka
- Wildlife Value:
- A larval host plant for Miami blue (Hemiargus thomasi) and silver-banded hairstreak (Chlorostrymon simaethis) butterflies; occasional larval host for the gray hairstreak butterfly (Strymon melinus).
- Climbing Method:
- Tendrils
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Appendage:
- Tendrils
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Very Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 10a, 10b, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- 1 inch wide oval to elliptical, green turning reddish-brown balloon-like capsular showy fruits. The seeds are round, green turning black, on thin paper walls inside the three parted bladder.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Corymb
- Panicle
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Winter
- Flower Shape:
- Cross
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Colored Sepals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small, asymmetrical flowers are 4-10mm in size have four white petals. Two of the four sepals are white to green and almost petal-like. The inflorescence is corymb-like to racemose to paniculate, producing flowers over a long season, all year in some climates.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Velvety
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Lobed
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Twice compound leaves divided into three parts with shallowly toothed (crenate to serrate) to deeply lobed pubescent leaflets. They vary in size from roughly 1-4 inches in length and width. The terminal leaflet is ovate. The leaf stem may be narrowly winged.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Angular
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Green stem with hairs
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
