Honesty or Money Plant is a lightly fragrant, melliferous plant belonging to the Brassicaceae family. In spring, from March to June, it produces small mauve or white flowers, amidst triangular or heart-shaped leaves. It is recognisable by its highly decorative fruits, often used in dried flower arrangements. Called siliquas, its translucent, flat and round fruits resemble slightly silvery coins, hence the name Money Plant. The siliquas appear in July and contain small seeds.
Honesty is a biennial or perennial plant that self-seeds readily. There are three species: Lunaria annua which is biennial, Lunaria rediviva which is perennial and Lunaria arboreus, a rare shrubby species. If you wish to sow honesty yourself, you can harvest the seeds and use them. Discover how to successfully sow Honesty!
Lunaria annua
What equipment will you need?
If you choose to sow in buckets, prepare your equipment:
- a seed tray or buckets (our plant fibre buckets are 100% natural and biodegradable)
- sowing compost
- a spray bottle
When and how to harvest Honesty seeds?
Harvest the siliquas from July onwards and dry them. Once completely dry, carefully collect the seeds inside and store them in an airtight container.
Harvest from July onwards, then dry your seeds
Where to sow Honesty?
Sow Honesty directly in situ in open ground in a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Alternatively, you can also sow in buckets to avoid slug damage for example.
When to sow Honesty seeds?
Sow Honesty seeds directly in situ in March-April for flowering the same year. You can also sow between June and September for flowering in early spring the following year.
How to sow Honesty seeds?
- You can use seeds you've harvested yourself or our Lunaria annua seeds
- For sowing in open ground, choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil and work the soil to loosen it.
For sowing in buckets, use a sowing compost mix and place in partial shade. - Sow the seeds, using a seed sower if needed, pressing them 3 mm deep and spacing them 30 cm apart
- Cover with finely sieved compost and firm the soil
- Water gently, then maintain regular watering to keep the soil moist.
- Seedlings develop in 14 to 21 days on average.
- In open ground, thin out the young plants, keeping only one every 30 cm.
In buckets, transplant the plants in September into pots at least 30 cm in diameter or into open ground, spacing them 30 cm apart.
To go further
Discover our complete guide to Honesty, as well as our tips for successful sowing annual seeds.
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