- Partial Sun to Full Sun (At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)
- Height 8 - 10 Inches
- Width 6 - 8 Inches
- Growing Zones 3-8
If the cute balloon buds that beg to be popped (don’t do it) do not get you, the double layer of petals on this medium blue unique late spring blooming perennial will. A lower growing variety than the P. grandiflorus, Astra Double Blue Balloon Flower will remain a petite 10 inches tall. Its faded denim double blue blooms with star shaped stamen complement the lightly gray/green foliage. Highly adaptable to a variety of garden soil conditions, you will find this an easy to care for part to full sun location perennial.
Native to meadows and hillsides in China, Korea, Japan and Siberia, Platycodon is a hardy perennial thriving in Zones 3 to 8. Northern gardeners will appreciate their cold hardiness and plant in full sun, but should mark the place where the plants will come up the following spring as they die back to the ground completely. They are deer resistant, and do really well in rock gardens and in the foreground of a garden bed. Mid South gardeners will appreciate their tolerance for the mid summer heat but should give some afternoon shade for best performance. Deep South gardeners will have to pass on this petite perennial as the hot humid temperatures will prove to be too much for it.
Astra Double Blue Balloon Flower Care
Tolerating all soil types except wet and soggy, Platycodon Double Blue Balloon Flower will grow in poor to fertile soil that is well drained. Preferring a light sandy loam that is reasonably fertile and stays consistently moist, it will grow in even rocky soils making it a great candidate for a rock garden. It will tolerate a wide variety of soil pH ranges as well. Water regularly to maintain a consistently moist soil. Mulch in areas with hot summer sun to help retain that moisture. Fertilization is not necessary if your soil is fertile, but for particularly poor soil, amend it with a well composted organic material or apply a controlled release fertilizer at time of planting. Plant in the spring when the danger of the last frost has passed, and do not plan on moving the plant as they tend to resent disturbance. Their fleshy fragile root systems are probably the reason behind this tendency.
Deadheading is encouraged to promote repeat blooming. Don’t remove the whole stem, just the spent flower. Pruning is encouraged if the plant is getting leggy, but you should not have to stake this miniature version of the P. grandiflorus. Hybrid varieties tend to not reseed themselves and rarely sow true to its parent plant should they do so.
Astra Double Blue Balloon Flower Spacing
Space your plants 6 to 8 inches apart. These are small plants, growing just 10 inches tall and spreading out just 8 inches. Watch for snails and slugs who seem to be fond of these plants and put a biologic control in place should they become a problem. As their bell shaped blooms burst open to greet you in the summer, you will enjoy seeing this dainty blue perennial in your garden this season.
Astra Double Blue Balloon Flower Information
| USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8 |
| Plant Type: Perennial |
| Sunlight Exposure: Partial Sun to Full Sun |
| Mature Height: 8 - 10 Inches |
| Mature Width: 6 - 8 Inches |
| Plant Spacing: 6 - 8 Inches |
| Growth Habit: Mounded |
| Flower Color(s): Blue |
| Flower Shade: Periwinkle |
| Seasonal Interest: Mid Summer |
| Foliage Type: Herbaceous |
| Foliage Color(s): Green |
| Attracts: Bees |
| Resists: Deer |
| Features: Attracts Pollinators, Cut Flowers, Low Maintenance |
| Uses: Border Plant Container Cut Flower Mass Planting |
| Plant Brand: Proven Winners |
| Botanical/Scientific Name: Platycodon hybrid 'Astra Double Blue' |
- SKU:
- PLAAD
Container Sizes
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on; type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
4.5" Pot
Also Known As:
4.5" Container
Plant Age:
~ 6 months
Plant Size:
~ 3"-6"
Pot Size:
~ 4.5"H x 3.75"W
Volume:
1.42 quarts
Quart Pot
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
2.5 Quart
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
#1 Pot
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
#2 Pot
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
#3 Pot
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
For more detailed information, please click here.
Plant Addicts Guarantee (Included On All Plant Orders)
Plant Addicts always guarantees your plant(s) will arrive happy & healthy. However, plant(s) are being shipped through the mail & sometimes accidents happen. If the plant is dead, has dried out roots or the incorrect item was shipped, just notify Plant Addicts within 3 days upon delivery. We may ask for pictures but will try to make it as easy as possible for you. Please note, plant(s) with damaged branches or wilted leaves will not qualify for this guarantee. Plants are very resilient and will rebound quickly when cared for correctly.
For more information on how to care for your new plants, please click on our guide below.
Guide: How to Care for Your New Plant(s)
Plant Addicts Warranty - 1 Year (Extra Purchase Required)
We encourage all plant lovers to purchase the Plant Addicts Warranty, whether you're a new gardener or an expert. There are many variables outside of anyone's control that can cause a plant to die. Hungry animals, drought, poor soil conditions, over watering, diseases & pests are all good examples of what can cause plants to die. The Plant Addicts Warranty is a 1 year warranty protecting you from all of the unknowns and will replace your plant if something were to happen to it.
The warranty is purchased on a per plant basis and must be purchased at the same time as the plant(s). We will cover 100% of the price of the plant, but the warranty does not cover shipping costs. SImply let us know if your plant has died within 1 year of receiving it and we will get you a new one shipped out as soon as possible (depending on the time of the year and availability). We may ask for photos for documentation purposes, but we try to make the process as easy as possible.
For more information, please click on our page below.
Plant Shipping
Below are some factors we consider when determining when to ship the plants depending on the timing of the order.
Winter to Early Spring
We ship only when it's warm enough to plant in your growing zone.
Sometimes plants aren't completely ready to sell and ship in early spring. We will wait until the plants are ready before shipping so you don't get a subpar product.
For Southern plants we will be able to ship much earlier than plants coming from our northern nursery.
Summer
If there is extreme heat we may delay shipping for a week or several weeks.
We review what areas the plants are traveling through as well as your location.
Fall into Winter
We’ll ship plants out all the way up to the end of the fall planting season!
Winter
Get your order in early to reserve your plants for Spring planting!
Once your plant is shipped you’ll receive an automated email with tracking information.
Click here for more detailed shipping information.
Planter Shipping
Standard Colors: 2-3 business days
Special Order Colors: 8 weeks - this is due to the planter being custom made with the color(s) of your choice
Please Note: On special orders there can not be any cancellations