August 2023

When someone mentions milkweed, most of us think of the common milkweed (Asclepia tuberosa) which is found along roadsides and hay meadows in the Ozarks. Here at BGO, we plant several different types of milkweed to provide a varied diet for the monarch butterfly larvae to feed on. One of the more unusual milkweeds is the Giant Swan Milkweed, also called Balloon Plant which is my preferred common name for this plant. There is another common name that I don’t use but others do for garden humor. I’ll let you google search what that is.

Balloon plant is an annual native to SE Africa. We started seeds in the BGO greenhouse in March with excellent germination. The first time I saw this plant used in the garden was around the Fayetteville square approximately 25 years ago. I collected some seeds then and planted some at the Extension Service gardens for Master Gardeners to enjoy.

Plant Balloon plant on the back side of your perennial/annual garden because this plant will get tall. It will easily get six feet tall but remains pretty slender. Its flowers are small and most often overlooked until flowers turn into seed pods. It’s the large tennis ball size seed pods that will give this plant a second look. Monarch butterflies don’t seem to hit it for food until late summer when all other milkweeds have been beaten up from the summer’s heat. Yes, the balloon plant is drought tolerant but like all plants, it does enjoy a drink from the garden hose during a drought period.

Here at BGO, you will find balloon plants along the butterfly path on your way to the Butterfly house. I know several gardeners who have planted this annual milkweed for the humorous other name which I will not mention. Definitely an attention-getter.

Berni Kurz, Director of Horticulture