Money Plant (Lunaria)

Money Plant, also known as Lunaria or the Honesty Plant, was originally native to the central and southern areas of Europe, but the plant has proliferated throughout the temperate regions of the world. It was introduced into Britain before the 1600’s and was brought to the United States by the pilgrims. The plant was prized for its decorative, translucent, disk-shaped seed pods which when dried are lovely in floral displays. The plant is a member of the Mustard family. Its white, tapered roots can be eaten either boiled or raw. Joseph Breck in his 1851 book, The Flower Garden, described the plant in this way, “Honesty is an old-fashioned plant, flowering the second year from seed, and then dying. It produces large purple flowers in May and June, that are succeeded by large elliptical pods, which, when dry, are rather ornamental. Lunaria is from luna, the moon, in allusion to the broad, round, silvery pods or silicles.” Lunaria is a true biennial which does die after the second year of growth. The plants usually produce purple flowers, but there are now white flowering varieties. The plants are prolific reseeders, so once you have established a grouping, you probably will not have to seed again. In some areas the plant is so vigorous that it is considered invasive.