Balloonvine

Cardiospermum corindum

Balloonvine is also known as Heartseed and is native to the southern portion of Dade and Monroe counties and the Florida Keys. It is a fast growing vine that grows in average soil. Although it is drought tolerant, it is not salt tolerant and should be planted in full sun where protected from salt air and water.

This is a larval host plant for the silver-banded hairstreak and gray hairstreak butterflies. It has been said that the Miami blue also uses this plant, and may well have in the past. But, this butterfly has used the Nickerbean, Caesalpinia bunduc, exclusively recently. Unfortunately the tips of the Nickerbean were also fed upon by iguanas. This is why the last colony of Miami blues at Bahia Honda State Park has disappeared.

There are three, four inch long, toothed leaflets that look like small poison oak leaves. The invasive Balloonvine, Cardiospermum halicacabum, has deeper lobes and teeth. See this description for details click here.

Since this is a fast growing vine, it will need something to climb on. In South Florida it lives year round and can climb 30 feet up into a nearby tree. The small white flowers are followed by a papery swollen pod that is one inch in diameter and contains three black seeds with a white heart shaped spot on each.

Butterflies like to nectar on the flowers and the reddish young pods are very attractive. Balloonvine will cover an ugly chainlink fence, dead tree or other unsightly objects. I have found it to spread naturally in the yard, yet it is not too aggressive and can easily be controlled.

I have not tried eating the young leaves of this plant, but I have read that they are used in Asia as a steamed vegetable. The young and old seeds are not edible. See this link for more info click here.

If you are looking for a vine that grows over ten feet a year and will cover large unsightly areas quickly, this is a good choice. For more information about this plant click here.