balloon flower stems breaking off

by Sandy
(Morris, MN)

This is the second summer for my balloon flowers. They started out earlier this summer looking very healthy, but now they are snapping off at ground level. Two to three stems per day are lost. What is causing this?

Doug says that he would suspect an animal. But you'll have to look at the base and see if its cleanly broken or just bent. Cleanly breaking off is animal. Bent could be weather or cultural (not enough light and a storm going through for example). Or rotting if there's too much water around the crown.

But I'm betting animal (like chipmunk or rabbit) if the stems are cut off.