Family: Sapindaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 366 (1753)
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Cardiospermum
Vegetable: Unknown
Observations: Tropics & Subtropics
Description
Balloonvine is a fascinating plant notable for its unique physical attributes and widespread adaptation. Scientifically known as Cardiospermum halicacabum, this plant is a member of the Sapindaceae family, which is known for its diverse and often ornamental species.
First documented in 1753 by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus, Balloonvine has managed to captivate the interest of botanists and garden enthusiasts alike for centuries. Its distinctive name is derived from its remarkable fruit, which inflates like a balloon, making it easily recognizable.
Balloonvine thrives in both tropical and subtropical regions, demonstrating impressive adaptability to various environmental conditions. This resilience makes it a common sight in many parts of the world where temperatures are warm and sunlight is abundant.
The plant exhibits delicate, lacy-looking foliage that adds an airy quality to gardens and landscapes. The leaves are typically pinnate, creating a feathery, light appearance. During its blooming period, Balloonvine produces small, white flowers that contrast beautifully with its greenery, further enhancing its ornamental value.
The true charm of Balloonvine, however, lies in its seed capsules. These balloon-like pods not only give the plant its common name but also feature an interesting heart-shaped marking on the seeds inside. This unique characteristic endears the plant to those who appreciate botanical novelties.
Due to its rapid growth and climbing nature, Balloonvine is often used as a decorative element in trellises, fences, and pergolas. Gardeners value it for its ability to quickly cover structures, providing a vibrant and lush green coverage in a short period.
Despite its beauty and versatility, it’s important to manage Balloonvine carefully as it can become invasive in certain climates. Proper management ensures that this charming plant remains an asset to the garden without overwhelming other flora.
Overall, Balloonvine (Cardiospermum halicacabum) is not just a visually appealing addition to any green space, but also a plant with a rich historical and botanical background, reflecting its lasting place in the world of horticulture and plant sciences.
Common Names
Deu: ballonpflanze, ballonrebe
Eng: balloon vine, balloonvine, heart-pea, lesser balloonvine, love in a puff, small balloonvine, winter-cherry, black winter cherry, heart pea, small balloon vine, winter cherry
Spa: bombilla menor, amor en bolsita, bejuco colorado, farolito, globitos, pejuco colorado, revienta caballa, toffe-toffe
Swe: ballongranka
Afr: blaasklimop
Run: umurengo
Por: balaozinho
Fra: bonnet carré, pois de merveille
Msa: cenet
Zho: dao di ling
Jav: ketipes
Tha: kok kra om
Ita: vesicaria del cuore
En: Balloonvine, Heart-pea, Lesser balloonvine, Winter-cherry, Small balloonvine, Balloon vine, Love-in-a-Puff, Love in a puff, Black winter cherry, Heart pea, Small balloon vine, Winter cherry, Balloonvine Heartseed, Blister creeper, Chinese cypress, Heart seed, Heart’s pea, Balloon-vine
Af: Blaasklimop
Ar: بكف (بَكِّف), نوفة
Bn: শিবঝুল
My: ကုလားမျက်စိ
Zh: 倒地鈴, 倒地铃, Dao di ling
Fi: Rakkoköynnös
Fr: Bonnet carré, Pois de merveille, Poc-poc, Liane poc-poc
De: Ballonpflanze, Ballonrebe, Herzsame
Id: Paria gunung
It: Vesicaria del cuore
Jv: Ketipes
Rn: Umurengo
Ko: 풍선덩굴
Ms: Cenet
Ml: ഉഴിഞ്ഞ
Pt: Balaozinho
Qu: Pukuchu
Ru: Халикакаб
Si: වැල් පෙනෙල
Es: Bombilla menor, Amor en bolsita, Bejuco Colorado, Farolito, Globitos, Pejuco colorado, Revienta caballa, Toffe-toffe
Sv: Ballongranka
Zh-tw: 倒地鈴
Ta: முடக்கொத்தான்
Th: โคกกระออม, Kok kra om
Zh-hant: 倒地鈴
Synonyms
- Rhodiola biternata (Lour.)
- Physalis corymbosa (Noronha)
- Cardiospermum glabrum (Schumach. & Thonn.)
- Cardiospermum acuminatum (Miq.)
- Cardiospermum moniliferum (Sw. ex Steud.)
- Corindum halicacabum ((L.) Medik.)
- Physalis halicacabum (Noronha)
- Cardiospermum luridum (Blume)
- Cardiospermum halicacabum var. grandiflorum (A.Chev.)
- Cardiospermum corycodes (Kunze)
- Cardiospermum inflatum (Salisb.)
Distribution
- Angola (native)
- Argentina Northeast (native)
- Argentina Northwest (native)
- Assam (native)
- Bahamas (native)
- Bangladesh (native)
- Benin (native)
- Bismarck Archipelago (native)
- Bolivia (native)
- Borneo (native)
- Botswana (native)
- Brazil North (native)
- Brazil Northeast (native)
- Brazil South (native)
- Brazil Southeast (native)
- Brazil West-Central (native)
- Burkina (native)
- Burundi (native)
- Cambodia (native)
- Cameroon (native)
- Cape Verde (native)
- Cayman Is. (native)
- Central African Repu (native)
- Chad (native)
- Chile Central (native)
- China South-Central (native)
- China Southeast (native)
- Colombia (native)
- Comoros (native)
- Congo (native)
- Costa Rica (native)
- Cuba (native)
- Dominican Republic (native)
- East Himalaya (native)
- Ecuador (native)
- Egypt (native)
- El Salvador (native)
- Ethiopia (native)
- Fiji (native)
- Free State (native)
- French Guiana (native)
- Gabon (native)
- Ghana (native)
- Guatemala (native)
- Guinea (native)
- Guinea-Bissau (native)
- Gulf of Guinea Is. (native)
- Guyana (native)
- Hainan (native)
- Haiti (native)
- Honduras (native)
- India (native)
- Ivory Coast (native)
- Jamaica (native)
- Jawa (native)
- Kenya (native)
- KwaZulu-Natal (native)
- Laccadive Is. (native)
- Laos (native)
- Leeward Is. (native)
- Lesotho (native)
- Lesser Sunda Is. (native)
- Liberia (native)
- Madagascar (native)
- Malawi (native)
- Malaya (native)
- Maldives (native)
- Mali (native)
- Maluku (native)
- Marquesas (native)
- Mauritania (native)
- Mauritius (native)
- Mexican Pacific Is. (native)
- Mexico Central (native)
- Mexico Gulf (native)
- Mexico Northeast (native)
- Mexico Northwest (native)
- Mexico Southeast (native)
- Mexico Southwest (native)
- Mozambique (native)
- Myanmar (native)
- Namibia (native)
- Nansei-shoto (native)
- Nepal (native)
- New Guinea (native)
- Nicaragua (native)
- Niger (native)
- Guinea (native)
- Guinea-Bissau (native)
- Gulf of Guinea Is. (native)
- Guyana (native)
- Hainan (native)
- Haiti (native)
- Honduras (native)
- India (native)
- Jamaica (native)
- Jawa (native)
- Kenya (native)
- KwaZulu-Natal (native)
- Laccadive Is. (native)
- Laos (native)
- Leeward Is. (native)
- Lesotho (native)
- Lesser Sunda Is. (native)
- Liberia (native)
- Madagascar (native)
- Malawi (native)
- Malaya (native)
- Maldives (native)
- Mali (native)
- Maluku (native)
- Marquesas (native)
- Mauritania (native)
- Mauritius (native)
- Mexican Pacific Is. (native)
- Mexico Central (native)
- Mexico Northeast (native)
- Mexico Northwest (native)
- Mexico Southeast (native)
- Mexico Southwest (native)
- Mozambique (native)
- Myanmar (native)
- Namibia (native)
- Nansei-shoto (native)
- Nepal (native)
- New Guinea (native)
- Nicaragua (native)
- Niger (native)
- Nigeria (native)
- Northern Provinces (native)
- Northern Territory (native)
- Oman (native)
- Pakistan (native)
- Paraguay (native)
- Peru (native)
- Philippines (native)
- Puerto Rico (native)
- Queensland (native)
- Rwanda (native)
- Réunion (native)
- Saudi Arabia (native)
- Senegal (native)
- Sierra Leone (native)
- Society Is. (native)
- Solomon Is. (native)
- Somalia (native)
- Sri Lanka (native)
- Sudan (native)
- Sulawesi (native)
- Suriname (native)
- Swaziland (native)
- Taiwan (native)
- Tanzania (native)
- Thailand (native)
- Togo (native)
- Trinidad-Tobago (native)
- Turks-Caicos Is. (native)
- Uganda (native)
- Uruguay (native)
- Venezuela (native)
- Venezuelan Antilles (native)
- Vietnam (native)
- Nigeria (native)
- Northern Provinces (native)
- Northern Territory (native)
- Oman (native)
- Pakistan (native)
- Paraguay (native)
- Peru (native)
- Philippines (native)
- Puerto Rico (native)
- Queensland (native)
- Rwanda (native)
- Réunion (native)
- Saudi Arabia (native)
- Senegal (native)
- Sierra Leone (native)
- Society Is. (native)
- Solomon Is. (native)
- Somalia (native)
- Sri Lanka (native)
- Sudan (native)
- Sulawesi (native)
- Sumatera (native)
- Suriname (native)
- Swaziland (native)
- Taiwan (native)
- Tanzania (native)
- Thailand (native)
- Togo (native)
- Trinidad-Tobago (native)
- Turks-Caicos Is. (native)
- Uganda (native)
- Uruguay (native)
- Venezuela (native)
- Venezuelan Antilles (native)
- Vietnam (native)
- West Himalaya (native)
- Western Australia (native)
- Windward Is. (native)
- Yemen (native)
- Zambia (native)
- Zaïre (native)
- Zimbabwe (native)
- West Himalaya (native)
- Western Australia (native)
- Windward Is. (native)
- Yemen (native)
- Zambia (native)
- Zaïre (native)
- Zimbabwe (native)
- Alabama (introduced)
- Albania (introduced)
- Andaman Is. (introduced)
- Arkansas (introduced)
- Ascension (introduced)
- Bermuda (introduced)
- Christmas I. (introduced)
- Connecticut (introduced)
- Cook Is. (introduced)
- Delaware (introduced)
- District of Columbia (introduced)
- East Aegean Is. (introduced)
- Florida (introduced)
- Georgia (introduced)
- Greece (introduced)
- Illinois (introduced)
- Indiana (introduced)
- Iraq (introduced)
- Kansas (introduced)
- Kentucky (introduced)
- Korea (introduced)
- Kriti (introduced)
- Lebanon-Syria (introduced)
- Louisiana (introduced)
- Marianas (introduced)
- Masachusettes (introduced)
- Michigan (introduced)
- Mississippi (introduced)
- Missouri (introduced)
- New Caledonia (introduced)
- New Jersey (introduced)
- New South Wales (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- Nicobar Is. (introduced)
- Niue (introduced)
- North Carolina (introduced)
- Ohio (introduced)
- Oklahoma (introduced)
- Pennsylvania (introduced)
- South Carolina (introduced)
- South China Sea (introduced)
- South European Russi (introduced)
- Spain (introduced)
- Tennessee (introduced)
- Texas (introduced)
- Tonga (introduced)
- Tuamotu (introduced)
- Turkey (introduced)
- Vanuatu (introduced)
- Virginia (introduced)
- Wallis-Futuna Is. (introduced)
- Yugoslavia (introduced)
- Alabama (introduced)
- Albania (introduced)
- Andaman Is. (introduced)
- Arkansas (introduced)
- Ascension (introduced)
- Bermuda (introduced)
- Christmas I. (introduced)
- Connecticut (introduced)
- Cook Is. (introduced)
- Delaware (introduced)
- District of Columbia (introduced)
- East Aegean Is. (introduced)
- Florida (introduced)
- Georgia (introduced)
- Greece (introduced)
- Illinois (introduced)
- Indiana (introduced)
- Kansas (introduced)
- Kentucky (introduced)
- Korea (introduced)
- Lebanon-Syria (introduced)
- Louisiana (introduced)
- Marianas (introduced)
- Masachusettes (introduced)
- Michigan (introduced)
- Mississippi (introduced)
- Missouri (introduced)
- New Caledonia (introduced)
- New Jersey (introduced)
- New South Wales (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- Nicobar Is. (introduced)
- Niue (introduced)
- North Carolina (introduced)
- Ohio (introduced)
- Oklahoma (introduced)
- Pennsylvania (introduced)
- South Carolina (introduced)
- South China Sea (introduced)
- South European Russi (introduced)
- Spain (introduced)
- Tennessee (introduced)
- Texas (introduced)
- Tonga (introduced)
- Tuamotu (introduced)
- Tubuai Is. (introduced)
- Turkey (introduced)
- Vanuatu (introduced)
- Virginia (introduced)
- Wallis-Futuna Is. (introduced)
- Yugoslavia (introduced)
Additional Images
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Fruit
Taken Aug 1, 2020 by Ferreira Leite Isaac (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 8, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 10, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 9, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 2, 2017 by ennazarova gshdbxjein (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Oct 9, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 18, 2019 by Amina Omar (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 15, 2019 by Melita (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 10, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 10, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Flower
Taken Jan 15, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − W. L. Wagner (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Aug 14, 2020 by sandre (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 23, 2019 by pauline h (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 12, 2018 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Jan 26, 2016 by Tela Botanica − Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 26, 2016 by Tela Botanica − Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 15, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 24, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Liliane ROUBAUDI (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 24, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Liliane ROUBAUDI (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Oct 26, 2013 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 15, 2005 by Photoflora – Jean-Luc TASSET (©)
Taken Jun 2, 2019 by Prakash Rudraraju (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 12, 2020 by Chee Keong Chan (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 15, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Oct 30, 2019 by Rajendra Rajendra Choure (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 30, 2016 by Laurent Seret (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 18, 2022 by monika lemke (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 17, 2015 by EOL − Sam Kieschnick (cc-by-nc)
Taken Mar 6, 2012 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/3189939)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:782206-1)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Cardiospermum halicacabum L.)
Specifications
Growth
