What is on the bowling ball? It looks so pretty but I need close up or more details please. Luvs

PV, I have no idea what variety it is. All I know is that the seeds came from my mother's plant and she purchased it at Kmart as a small plant and it said "balloon plant 8 inches". I've had strange exepriences with this plant too. My error too, that balloon plant was WS 8 years ago, my newer ones where WS 4 years ago. Anyways, I collected the seeds from my mother's plant in the fall of 2001, and gave the main plant to a friend of my mothers when I collected the seeds. She wanted to have a perennial plant to remember my mother by, as she had just past away a few weeks earlier. Seeds germinated and I planted out 2 plants and gave the others away. This balloon plant grew taller than the one the seeds came from, it's about 12 inches tall. The other plant grew only about 6-8 inches. I was puzzled but thought that the answer to the difference was the sunlight. The taller one gets more sun than the shorter one. So I tested the theory and collected the seeds from both but kept the seeds separate from each other. WS them again 4 years ago and labeled tall balloon and short balloon. Planted out plants from both containers and put them right next 2 each other in the same amount of full sun. That blew my theory right out of the water. Seeds from short balloon stayed short, seeds from tall balloon grew taller and they've been doing that every year since. Doesn't make sense to me but I save the seeds from both, and should have plenty of seeds for trades in the fall. Karen, when do you sow the seeds? Mine are outside my the first week in February. Just put them on top of the soil, in container that fresh mushrooms come from, press them onto the soil but do not cover them with any soil. I put the container inside a store brand ziploc bag with slits on the top and bottom and they do their thing, They are sort of a late germinator as well. Don't usually germinate until the very, very end of April, like the last day or 2 and into the first week in May. They don't bloom until the second year, but when they do, they put on a really good show. Just don't hold your breath for the pods to ripen. That takes until Mid September. Proudgm, nice surprise isn't it? Did you trade for the pansy seeds? I'll bet, if you did, that a lonely balloon flower seed got mixed in by accident. Or it could be courtesy of the birds. Fran

Hey those are awesome pictures!!! Be proud of those! I haven't been quick enough to take any :( They are finally starting to come around my yard again. Talk about someone being happy, LOL. Karen

I agree, nice pics, would love to live down there. The coconut doesn't look the healthiest, I do see some exposed roots, and I know Florida's been having some colder than normal winters, so maybe that's the reason?? If it continues to not perform, maybe rip it out and replace it with a majesty for a similar very tropical look.