Astra Semi-Double Blue Balloon Flower Platycodon grandiflorus 'Astra Semi-Double Blue' Astra Semi-Double Blue Balloon Flower flowers (Photo courtesy of Karen Vaughn) Height: 10 inches Spacing: 8 inches
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Hardiness Zone: 3a Description: Balloon-like buds swell and open to large semi-double bell-shaped blue flowers with clearly defined darker veins; flowers singly, or in small clusters over dark green foliage all summer; great for borders, beds, or as edging Ornamental Features Astra Semi-Double Blue Balloon Flower has masses of beautiful blue bell-shaped flowers with white eyes and royal blue veins at the ends of the stems from early to late summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its narrow leaves remain dark green in color throughout the season. Landscape Attributes Astra Semi-Double Blue Balloon Flower is an herbaceous perennial with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage. This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics. Astra Semi-Double Blue Balloon Flower is recommended for the following landscape applications; Planting & Growing Astra Semi-Double Blue Balloon Flower will grow to be about 10 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 8 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen! This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. Astra Semi-Double Blue Balloon Flower is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
