Heartseed Cardiospermum corindum
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- kar-dee-oh-SPUR-mum ko-RIN-dum
- Description
-
Balloonvine is a tendril-climbing evergreen vine in the maple family (Sapindaceae). native to southern most states of the United states, Mexico, Central and South America and Africa. 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 and prefers full sun in moist to dry well-drained sandy or loamy soils. It is tolerant of brackish water but not direct salt spray. The plant can be pruned to the ground if damaged by frost and will regrow from the crown or prune to control size. It can be weedy.
The small white flowers are followed by oval fruits that turn red a maturity.
Use on a trellis, fence, or with care on larger trees in a butterfly garden. Use in natural landscapes and habitat restoration
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cardiospermum
- Species:
- corindum
- Family:
- Sapindaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used medicinally to treat ailments such as rheumatism, liver disease, and inflammation
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southern U.S.A. to Argentina, Africa, China, Srilanka
- Distribution:
- TX, FL, AL, GA, CA
- 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
- Dimensions:
- Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
- Appendage:
- Tendrils
-
-
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
-
-
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.
-
-
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.
-
-
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 to 4 inches in length and width. The terminal leaflet is ovate. The leaf stem may be narrowly winged.
-
-
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
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Vertical Spaces
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Design Feature:
- Screen/Privacy
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
