How to Grow Lunaria Plants

Guide to Growing Honesty, Money Plant, and Moon plant

Members of the Lunaria genus are often grown as hardy annuals in the garden, even though they are hardy biennials or perennials.

They have a bushy nature and reach from 45 to 90 cm (18 to 36 inches) in height.

Lunaria annua
Lunaria annua - Annual Honesty by Amandabhslater; creative commons.

They have purple or white flowers that set attractive silver coloured seed pods that can be used in flower arrangements.

Lunaria pods
Lunaria pods by Mangpages; creative commons.

Some of the common names for Lunaria include Money plant, Moonwort, Honesty, and Satin pod.

Lunaria Rediviva
Lunaria Rediviva – Perennial Honesty by Alexandre Dulaunoy; creative commons.

Commonly Grown Lunaria Species

Lunaria annua / (syn. Lunaria biennis)

Lunaria annua
Lunaria annua; syn. Lunaria biennis (Money Plant in bloom), photograph by peganum; CC.

Lunaria annua
Lunaria annua Pods (Silver dollar plant translucent seed pods), picture by James St. John; CC.

Lunaria Rediviva

Lunaria Rediviva
Lunaria Rediviva (Perennial honesty), Image by Babij; CC.

Lunaria rediviva pods
Lunaria rediviva pods (CommName), photograph by Leonora (Ellie) Enking; CC.

There are also two more, much rarer, species in this genus: Lunaria elongata, andLunaria telekiana

Lunaria Plant Growing and Care Guide

Common Names: Honesty, Money Plant, Silver Dollars, Bolbonac, Moonwort, Satin flower, Moon plant, Dollar plant, Money-in-both-pockets, Moneywort.
Life Cycle: Hardy perennial. Hardy biennial grown as a hardy annual by gardeners.
Height: 30 to 40 inches (75 to 100 cm).
Native: Europe.

Growing Region: Annuals: zones 3 to 9. Perennials: zones 6 to 9.
Flowers: Summer.
Flower Details: White, purple.
Foliage: Dark green. Cordate. Serrated.

Sow Outside: 1/8 inch (3 mm). Before last frost or in autumn (in warm areas). Spacing 12 to 20 inches (30 to 50 cm).
Sow Inside: Germination time: one to two weeks. Temperature 70°F (21°C). Six or seven weeks before expected last frost. Transplant outdoors following the last frost.

Requirements: Full sunlight or partially shaded. Good drainage. Can survive in dry soils. Supply mulch in late autumn. Rub seed pods to release seeds.
Family: Brassicaceae.
Miscellaneous: Plants have attractive silvery seed pods similar to a flattened pea pod or a silver coin (hence the name money plant).

How to Grow Honesty, Money Plant and other Lunaria Plants in the Garden

Money Plants and other Lunaria members such as Moonwort can be grown outdoors from seed by sowing at a depth of 3 mm (1/8 th inch).

This can be done either in autumn or just before the last frost of spring.

Money plants can be grown in either sunny or partially shaded parts of the garden that have good soil.

Lunaria can easily be started indoors. Plan to start the growing process about seven weeks before you expect the last frost.

The seeds should take about two weeks to germinate at 21 degrees centigrade (70°F).

Once growing transplant the young Money plants at about 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 inches) apart.

Caring for Money Plants, Honesty - Lunaria

Money plants and Honesty are pretty easy to look after. They will self seed, so if you do not require more Lunaria plants in the garden the following year, remove the plants before they shed seed.

It is necessary to mulch the plants at the beginning of winter if you are planning to grow Lunaria as a biennial.

I hope that you enjoyed this guide on how to grow Lunaria plants. You may also enjoy the following Gardener's HQ growing guides: How to grow Ionopsidium, Yucca Plant, and Iberis plants.