Cardiospermum corindum: Country Or Region Of Origin
Southern U.S.A. to Argentina, Africa, China, Srilanka
Plant Profile: Cardiospermum corindum
Taxonomy: Cardiospermum corindumNames
Balloonvine, Balloon Vine, Faux Persil, Heartseed
Phonetic Spelling:
Genus:Cardiospermum
Species:corindum
Family:Sapindaceae
Balloonvine is an evergreen climbing vine belonging to the Sapindaceae family, commonly known as the soapberry family. This plant is notable for its striking white flowers, which are succeeded by distinctive, balloon-like fruits that give it its name. Unlike most of its relatives, which are typically trees or shrubs, balloonvine stands out with its ability to grow to heights and widths exceeding 10 feet.
Cardiospermum corindum Feature Summary
Cardiospermum corindum Image Gallery
Tags
#showy flowers
#white flowers
#showy fruits
#larval host plant
#butterfly friendly
Similar Plants
Cardiospermum corindum Feature Summary
Attributes
Southern U.S.A. to Argentina, Africa, China, Srilanka
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).
Tendrils
Fruit
1 inch wide oval to elliptical, green turning brown balloon like capsular showy fruits with round green turning black seeds on thin paper walls inside the three parted bladder.
Capsule
Green
Brown/Copper
1-3 inches
Flowers
Small, asymmetrical flowers have white petals, inflorescence corymb-like to paniculate producing flowers over a long season all year in some climates.
White
Corymb
Panicle
Showy
Long Bloom Season
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Leaves
Twice compound leaves divided into three parts with shallowly toothed (crenate to serrate) to deeply lobed pubescent leaflets. The terminal leaflet is ovate.
Broadleaf Evergreen
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Alternate
Lobed
Serrate
Crenate
Whole Plant Traits
Vine
Broadleaf Evergreen
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Moist
Occasionally Dry
Very Dry
10a
10b
11b
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Stem
Landscape
Coastal
Butterflies
Cardiospermum corindum Image Gallery
Cardiospermum corindum Attributes
Cardiospermum corindum: 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).
Cardiospermum corindum: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Cardiospermum corindum: Climbing Method
Clinging
Scrambler
Tendrils
Twining
Cardiospermum corindum Fruit
Cardiospermum corindum: Fruit Description
1 inch wide oval to elliptical, green turning brown balloon like capsular showy fruits with round green turning black seeds on thin paper walls inside the three parted bladder.
Cardiospermum corindum: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Cardiospermum corindum: Fruit Color
Brown/Copper
Green
Cardiospermum corindum: Fruit Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Cardiospermum corindum: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Cardiospermum corindum Flowers
Cardiospermum corindum: Flower Description
Small, asymmetrical flowers have white petals, inflorescence corymb-like to paniculate producing flowers over a long season all year in some climates.
Cardiospermum corindum: Flower Color
White
Cardiospermum corindum: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Cardiospermum corindum: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Cardiospermum corindum: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Cardiospermum corindum Leaves
Cardiospermum corindum: Leaf Description
Twice compound leaves divided into three parts with shallowly toothed (crenate to serrate) to deeply lobed pubescent leaflets. The terminal leaflet is ovate.
Cardiospermum corindum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Cardiospermum corindum: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Cardiospermum corindum: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Cardiospermum corindum: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Cardiospermum corindum: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Cardiospermum corindum Whole Plant Traits
Cardiospermum corindum: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Cardiospermum corindum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Cardiospermum corindum Cultural Conditions
Cardiospermum corindum: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Cardiospermum corindum: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Cardiospermum corindum: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
11b
Cardiospermum corindum: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Cardiospermum corindum Stem
Cardiospermum corindum: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Cardiospermum corindum Landscape
Cardiospermum corindum: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Cardiospermum corindum: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
