Lunaria annua

MIXED HONESTY or SILVER DOLLAR PLANT

Lunaria annua
MIXED HONESTY

Lunaria annua is also commonly known as “Honesty”,  “Silver Dollar Plant” or “Money Plant”.
And it is one of my favourites in the Spring garden for its simple charm and bone hardiness.

Large clusters of purple or white flowers

Large purple or white flower heads appear atop lush green foliage.
With the flowers charmingly simple and softly pretty above the arrowhead shaped leaves.

Followed by translucent silver moons (Silver Dollars)

Then the spent flowers transform to attractive green discs, and finally turn to translucent papery, silver moons on branching stems – even more eye-catching than the flowers.
Then you can easily see why it is called “Silver Dollars” or “Money Plant”.

Silvery seed pods are prized for drying & decoration

These large, silvery seed pods are loved for drying and floral decoration, as well as eye-catching garden interest.

Bone hardy & easy to grow

Lunaria annua is very unfussy and easy to grow.
So even brown-thumbed gardeners can star spectacularly with Honesty.
Honesty enjoys any position, from Full Sun through Light Shade, and on into Full Shade.

Not fussy about soil

Nor is it fussy about soil type – so it will grow in any soil type, from sandy, through garden loam, to clay based soils.
And in a wide range of soil pH on either side of neutral – from acid to alkaline lime.
Though it thoroughly enjoys the leaf litter under trees and shrubs, or some summer mulch.

Can tolerate some dry

Lunaria annua is considered reasonably dry tolerant once established, and is not a water-hungry plant
So it can tolerate some drying out between watering, though it will suffer in prolonged drought.

Very quick & easy from seed

This lovely annual will self seed feely from year to year in the garden, unless you harvest all the “Silver Dollars” before they can drop their seed.
And it is very quick and easy to raise from seed.

Rabbit & deer resistant

Lunaria annua is rarely troubled by any pests or diseases, including rabbits and deer.
While no plant is completely immune if the beasts are starving, Lunaria is normally low on their menu selection due to the texture of the foliage.

Bees & pollinators are besotted by the flowers

The sweet flowers of Lunaria annua are a feast of pollen and nectar for our pollinating friends in the spring. So native solitary bees as well as hives of honeybees are boosted through the spring by generous Honesty flowers.

Hardy self-sowing biennial 60cm x 60cm.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY

Suits beginners & gardening with kids

Lunaria annua Mixed Seeds can be sown directly into the ground where required in Spring.
OR
Sow indoors whenever suitable temperatures can be given (15-20°C).
You can use a heat mat to maintain temperature if you have one.

Sow indoors for optimum germination rate plus quick & early plants: First sow the seeds in a punnet on the surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Then gently pat to ensure the seeds have good contact with the mix.
And barely cover the seeds with sieved mix / fine grit / fine vermiculite.
But do not bury the seeds deeply, because light is needed for these seeds to germinate.

Now thoroughly moisten the punnet by standing it in a shallow water bath and allowing the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.

Germinate in a warm place

Then place the sown punnet in a warm, well lit position (not in any direct sunlight).

Temperatures of 15-20°C are ideal for rapid and optimum germination.
And you can use a heat mat if you have one.
But it is not essential because these seeds are willing and easy germinators.
So a warm window sill or corner will be fine (not in any direct sunlight).

Continue to keep the sown punnet consistently moist, but not wet, by spraying with a fine mist water bottle.

Germinates very quickly

Germination takes approx. 17-14 days, though some seeds may come later.

Once germinated, prick out as soon as the seedlings have developed their first set of true leaves.
And pot to grow on and plant out into the garden / or plant directly out into the garden once frosts have finished.
The seedlings quickly mature to garden size.

Seed Count: 10 seeds per pack.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count and give a generous serve).

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