Honesty Plant Lunaria Annua

The hardy heirloom honesty plant, Lunaria annua, is prized for an abundance of virtues. The scented white or purple flowers attract pollinators to the garden. The upright racemes of four-petaled flowers make long-lasting bouquets. The glassine-like seed pods called silicles are highly ornamental.

Common Names for Lunaria Annua

Over the years the plant has acquired a litany of common names referring to the unique features of the seed pods. Honesty refers to the translucent pods disclosing the seeds. Silver dollar, money plant, satin flower, satin pod, and moonwort are more monikers.

The genus name Lunaria is Latin for moon. The oval translucent seed pod resembles a full moon.

History

Native to southeastern Europe and western Asia, lunaria was brought to America by colonial settlers. The plant became one of the favorite flowers in early American gardens for its decorative pods and edible roots. Thomas Jefferson grew lunaria at Monticello. America’s oldest seed house, Landreth, has been a purveyor of lunaria seed since 1784.

Culture

The old-fashioned plant succeeds wherever it is grown regardless of soil type or moisture conditions. It thrives in full-sun or partial shade and well-drained soil in hardiness zones 4-9.

Lunaria is easy to start from seed like its mustard family kin. Seed can be sown directly outdoors ¼’ deep in autumn or just before the last frost date in spring. Alternately, seed may be started indoors seven weeks prior to the last frost date. Germination takes 10-14 days.

Lunaria is considered a passalong plant. Freshly collected seed remains viable for up to four years.

In the two year life cycle of the plant, leaves develop the first year; flowers and seeds are produced in the second year. Mature plants top out at three feet in height. Being a prolific self-seeder, offspring sprout wherever seed lands. Deadheading thwarts volunteers.

Uses

Honesty grows easily in many contexts: retro gardens, perennial borders, cutting gardens, everlasting displays, shade gardens, and open woodlands. Since their nectar attracts bees and butterflies, lunaria are often grown in naturalized wildflower habitats. Lunaria leaves host cabbage white caterpillars.

Seed pods may be dried on the plant or cut from the plant and hung upside down in a dry, cool, and airy location. Seed pods are popular in dried arrangements.

Lunaria is one of the best play plants for children. Children turn seed pods into imaginative inventions: coins, trinkets to trade, gypsy jewelry, monocles, dollhouse decor, tea party wafers, isinglass windows, solar reflectors, moon chips, mobiles, stuffed animal Frisbees, and fairy wind chimes.

Lunaria may have a future as a cruciferous oilseed crop because of the high percentage of oil in the seed. Researchers believe the fatty acid content of lunaria seed oil has potential for high-temperature lubricants and engineering nylons as well as pharmaceuticals.

Nervonic acid, an important constituent of brain chemistry, is found in the fatty acid oils of lunaria. Scientists in the United Kingdom are considering lunaria oil for the treatment of muscular sclerosis.

Sow the benefits of honesty in your garden and share the harvest.