A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2003 balloon flowers

I have a large, beautiful blue Balloon flower that produces many flowers. This time of year the flowers go to seed and each seed head sounds like a raddle. Will spreading these seeds about work for next year, or should I just divide the plant?

Here's some info I found:

"Balloon flowers should not be transplanted once they are established. Division may be done in spring but the roots are thick and division must be done carefully as they are difficult to divide. Set the crown one inch below the soil surface. Propagating by cuttings of non-flowering shoots in summer may be done by rooting stem tip cuttings under mist. Otherwise they are best propagated from seed sown in the spring or by setting out young container-grown plants in spring or fall, spacing root clumps 12 inches apart. The seed germinates in 2 to 3 weeks at temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees and is the preferred method of propagation. Light is necessary for seed germination."

It sounds like it would be better to grow more from seed rather than risk trying to divide it. I have several Balloon flowers myself, one of which I've had in my garden for about 6 years.

I have a question....I got a TINY balloon plant slip late in August...and by tiny, I mean half my thumb size. It stayed alive and grew a little and then seemed to dry up as it got cold here and appears to be gone. Is that root still alright over the winter? Or is it ka-put?