Balloon, Astra Blue

Platycodon grandiflorus ‘Astra Blue’

A clump-forming perennial that is so named because its flower buds puff up like balloons before bursting open into outward-to-upward-facing, bell-shaped flowers with five pointed lobes.
Plants are native to slopes and meadows in China, Japan, Korea and Siberia.
Purple-blue flowers (to 2-3” across) bloom throughout summer, singly or in small clusters, atop stems typically growing to 30” tall.
Ovate to lance-shaped, toothed, blue-green leaves (to 2” long).