Platycodon grandiflorum 

'Balloon Flower'

[Ex. Džagdy Mountains 670 m., Russia]

Campanulaceae: a compact herbaceous perennial to 60cm. Found on grassy slopes in hills and mountains. The balloon-like buds open to wide cup-shaped violet-blue flowers 5cm across. Blooming from July-August. The leaves are blue-green, and lance-shaped. Native to Russian Far East, East Asia - China, Japan, Korea, and Manchuria.

USES:

The young leaves can be cooked, but the radical leaves are said to be slightly toxic so only the top leaves should be used. Old leaves are powdered and used as a flavouring. The root can be cooked, and eaten in soups as a tonic vegetable. It is also peeled and pickled or preserved in sugar.

This species has a history of herbal use in China going back over 2,000 years and modern clinical tests have demonstrated its efficacy. It is widely used there in patent remedies and is also made into cough tablets. The root contains saponins and has anthelmintic, antiasthmatic, anticholesterolemic, antiphlogistic, antitussive, astringent, carminative, expectorant, haemolytic, hypoglycaemic, sedative, stomachic, tonic and vermifuge properties. It lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels in the liver and inhibits the release of histamine.

GROWING INFORMATION:

Surface sow the tiny seeds in spring in a cold frame at 15-20°C. Germination is normally quick. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the winter when the plants are dormant. An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any good well-drained garden soil but prefers a light sandy soil in a sunny position or light dappled shade. Plants are hardy to about -20°C. A very ornamental and long-lived plant.

HARVESTED: 

 
APPROX. 50 SEEDS