Cardiospermum grandiflorum

Swarz

Heart seed, Balloon Vine

Sapindaceae Edible: Leaves, Vegetable 2,568 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

iNaturalist· cc-by

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Cardiospermum grandiflorum, commonly known as showy balloonvine, heart pea or heart seed, is a species of climbing plant native to eastern Argentina and Brazil.

Description

A straggling climber. It grows 3-5 m tall. The stems are angular. They are reddish and hairy. The leaves have 3 lobes and are twice divided. They are light green, thin and hairy. The leaf segments are oval and have teeth along the edge. The flowers are 0.8-1 cm across. They are white and have a scent. The fruit is a capsule which is 4.5-6 cm long and 3 sided. It is inflated and yellowish-green. There is a heart shaped scar on the seed.

Edible Uses

The leaves are eaten as a vegetable.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in dry rainforest in SE Queensland in Australia. It suits humid locations. It grows from 200-800 m altitude. They do best in fertile, well drained soil in full sun. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.

Where It Grows

Africa, Algeria, America, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Cabinda, Cameroon, Canary Is., Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Colombia, Cook Islands, Congo DR, Congo R, Costa Rica, East Africa, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eswatini, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Hawaii, Honduras, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Leeward Is., Liberia, Malawi, Mexico, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pacific, Panama, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Togo, Uganda, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

It can be grown from seed or stem cuttings.

Notes

There are 12-14 Cardiospermum species. They are tropical.

Synonyms

Cardiospermum hirsutum Willd.and several others

Also Known As

Love-in-a-puff

References (22)

Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 83
Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 213
Burkill, H. M., 1985, The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 5. Kew.
Cooper, W. and Cooper, W., 2004, Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Nokomis Editions, Victoria, Australia. p 480
Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 329

Show all 22 references

Elliot, W.R., & Jones, D.L., 1982, Encyclopedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Vol 2. Lothian. p 461
Food Composition Tables for use in Africa FAO http://www.fao.org/infoods/directory No. 659
Fowler, D. G., 2007, Zambian Plants: Their Vernacular Names and Uses. Kew. p 84
Grubben, G. J. H. and Denton, O. A. (eds), 2004, Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. p 560
Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Cousens, R.D., Dodd, J., Lloyd, S.G., 1997, Western Weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia. Plant Protection Society of Western Australia. p 212
Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 64
Kew Plants of the World Online
Lazarides, M. & Hince, B., 1993, Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia, CSIRO. p 47
Low, T., 1991, Wild Herbs of Australia and New Zealand. Angus & Robertson. p 110
Marinelli, J. (Ed), 2004, Plant. DK. p 447
Martin, F.W. & Ruberte, R.M., 1979, Edible Leaves of the Tropics. Antillian College Press, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. p 218
Paczkowska, G . & Chapman, A.R., 2000, The Western Australian Flora. A Descriptive Catalogue. Western Australian Herbarium. p 528
Prodr. 64. 1788
Staples, G.W. and Herbst, D.R., 2005, A tropical Garden Flora. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. p 517
Swaziland's Flora Database http://www.sntc.org.sz/flora
White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. and Chapman, J. D., 2001, Evergreen Forest Flora of Malawi. Kew. p 527
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew