Lunaria annua 'Munstead Purple'

RHS Plant Profile
honesty 'Munstead Purple'

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A hardy biennial, with toothed, heart-shaped dark green leaves. Large, open clusters of dark red-purple flowers are produced on purple-flushed stems in late spring and early summer, followed by flat, round seed pods that dry to translucent silvery white

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or South–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, Columnar upright
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
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in a sunny or lightly shaded spot. May need support in exposed planting areas

Propagation

Propagate by seed; will self-seed in situ

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Prairie planting
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

May be cut back after flowering if seeds are not required, though seed heads are also popular for flower arranging

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to club root, brassica white blister and virus diseases