Common Name: perennial honesty
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Brassicaceae
Native Range: Europe
Zone: 5 to 8
Height: 2.00 to 3.00 feet
Spread: 0.75 to 1.50 feet
Bloom Time: May to June
Bloom Description: Pale lilac
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Flower: Showy, Fragrant, Good Dried
Fruit: Showy
Culture
Easily grown in evenly moist, organically rich, garden soils in full sun to part shade. Full sun is appropriate in northern areas, but plants appreciate some afternoon shade in the St. Louis area. Seed may be sown in fall or spring. Plants will self-seed in optimum conditions.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Lunaria rediviva, commonly called perennial honesty, is a clump-forming, herbaceous perennial that typically grows 2-3’ (less frequently to 4’) tall on upright-branching stems clad with finely-toothed, oblong-lanceolate, medium green leaves (to 8” long) that may be tinged with dark red. Small, fragrant, 4-petaled, pale lilac flowers in clusters bloom in late spring. Flowers are followed by elliptic silvery fruit (each to 3” long). Fruit is excellent in dried flower arrangements (cut stems for drying just before the green color begins to fade). In comparison to biennial honesty/money plant (Lunaria annua), this perennial plant is larger, has smaller but more fragrant flowers, has more sharply-toothed leaves with petioles and produces elliptical fruit.
Genus name comes from the Latin word luna meaning the moon for the flat rounded seed-vessel suggesting the full moon.
Specific epithet means brought back to life.
Problems
No known serious insect or disease problems. Leaf spot and stem canker may occur.
Uses
Borders. Open woodlands. Naturalized areas. Shade gardens. Cutting garden. Excellent for dried flower arrangements.