Lunaria annua

RHS Plant Profile

honesty

Other common names

annual honesty, bolbonac, Chinese money, common honesty, grandpa's specs, Judas's penny, matrimony, money, money flower, money in both pockets, moneywort, moon seed, moonwort, penny bark, penny flower, Peter's pence, Pope's money, prick-song flower, satin flower, satin leaves, satin pod, silver dollar, silver leaf, silver plate, St Peter's pence, white satin

Synonyms

Lunaria biennis

Annual Biennial

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A hardy annual or biennial, with toothed, heart-shaped leaves, and large, open clusters of purple flowers in late spring and early summer, followed by flat, round, silvery seed pods

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 1–2 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: South–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H6

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Brassicaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Lunaria can be annuals, biennials or perennials, with triangular-ovate leaves and leafy racemes of 4-petalled flowers in late spring and early summer
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: Europe

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade; valuable for wildlife gardens

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in-situ in early summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Wildflower meadow
Wildlife gardens
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Translucent seedheads are useful for dried flower arrangements; self-seeds readily, leave in situ if self-seeding is desirable, cut back after flowering if seeds are not required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to club root and white blister