Know your alien invasive plants: Balloon vine
Hillcrest Conservancy will produce weekly articles regarding the various alien invasive plant species in the Highway area to help the community identify and eliminate them.
THIS week, Hillcrest Conservancy takes a look at the Balloon vine, as part of its series of articles on alien invasive plants, to help the community identify and eradicate them from their gardens.
The Balloon vine, also known as the heart pea, heart seed; blaasklimop; opblaasboontjie (Afrikaans); intandela, uzipho (isiZulu) is a perennial, slightly woody climber.
Its scientific name is Cardiospermum grandiflorum (Sapindaceae). It has tendrils, growing two to five metres or higher; often draping itself over trees and other support structures.
Leaves are strongly serrated triangular-shaped, bright green in colour and somewhat hairy on the surface of the leaves. Flowers arewhite or yellow, in many-flowered and compact heads appearing between October-January, but throughout the year in tropical climates. Fruit/seeds: membranous, inflated fruit capsules about 60mm long are green turning brown and carry black, round seeds with an oblong white spot.
The species comes from Tropical South America (Brazil and eastern Argentina). Its invasive status in South Africa is CARA 2002 – Category 1 Proposed legislation: NEMBA – Category 1b.
It is found mostly in, and is a huge problem in the warmer parts of KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces. It spreads mostly by seeds and
is seen as a problem because it overtops and smothers indigenous species, including large trees.
Contact Ian Pattrick on 079 909 5458 or Hillcrest Conservancy chairman, George Victor, on 073 901 3902 or e-mail georgevic@telkomsa.net
