This poor plant ! How can it overcome its questionable appearing ?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtMqjBYlqMR/
The first image … it ’s obviously a milkweed ! The second video … wait … what ?
That is just weird .
This plant is growing in my landlady ’s garden . She called me on the phone and said , “ David ! You have to see this affair ! ” In Spanish , it is call “ collons del abuelo . ” Okaaaaaaaaaaay , then .
So I went down and look at it . Yep , that is eldritch . No , I do n’t desire to spill the beans about it .
The plant life is namedGomophocarpus physocarpus .
Accordingto the University of Wisconsin - Madison Master Garden Program :
“ Gomphocarpus (= Asclepias ) physocarpus is a plant in the milkweed family ( in the subfamily Asclepiadoideae of the Apocynaceae , formerly the Asclepiadaceae ) often used as an ornamental for the spectacular yellowish , Lucille Ball - similar fruits . The name physocarpa comes from the Hellenic physa meaning vesica and karpos , fruit , touch on to the inflated , vesica - like fruits . It has a superfluity of common names admit balloon industrial plant , balloon cotton - bush , balloon milkweed , bishop ’s Lucille Ball , elephant glob , haired ball , scallywag ball , swan plant , and many others . This flying - growing , short - lived species native to tropic Africa is used as a seasonal annual in the Midwest , although it is in reality a tender perennial ( zones 8 - 10 ) . It has naturalise in many places in the earthly concern , and is a pot in many areas with a mild climate . There is a very standardized plant , G. fruticosus , which is less unwashed in the decorative trade . It is lowly in height , not as vigorous , and the seed pod is slightly oblong ( supposedly resemble a swan ) . But the vulgar epithet of “ swan ” and “ balloon ” plant are used interchangeably for both species . The leaves are narrow-minded and lanceolate .
Balloon plant is an good , herbaceous plant or mild shrub that can grow over 6 feet improbable from the sinewy roots . The svelte , single - stem trunk has multiple hollow , wan xanthous green branches . The smooth textured , light super acid , opposite folio are 3 - 4 inches long . They are narrowly oblong to lanceolate . All parts of this plant exude milklike white latex that is mildly venomous if ingested . ”
Like other milkweed , it ’s a host for Monarch butterflies . It ’s also a heavy conversation slice .
Yep , I ’m run short to plant one of my own … just get ta wait for those seeds to mature up .
