Cardiospermum halicacabum

RHS Plant Profile

balloon vine

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Other common names

heart pea, heart seed, love-in-a-puff, puffball, winter cherry

Climber Wall Shrub Annual Biennial

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A tropical, evergreen climber, usually grown as an annual. It has finely cut foliage and deliacte twining tendrils. Insignificant white flowers are followed by inflated, spherical seed pods, each containing a black seed marked with white heart - hence its common name Love-in-a-Puff

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 1 year
Max Spread: 1-1.5 metres
Max Height: 2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H1C

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Sapindaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Climbing
Genus: A genus of around 14 species of herbaceous vines, native to tropical regions of America, Africa and India. The foliage is finely cut and hairy, with twining tendrils and insignificant white flowers. Seed capsules are inflated, which is why plants within this genus are also known as the 'balloon vine'
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: Tropical Africa, India, North and South America

How to Grow

Cultivation

Plant out after the last frosts in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. Provide support for the twining tendrils (or allow to cascade down from a container). Water freely and apply a balanced liquid feed every 2 weeks

Propagation

Propagate by sowing seed indoors or under glass in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Hanging Basket
Patio and container plants
Climber and wall shrubs

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free