| Common Name | Honesty, Silver Dollar, Money Plant |
| Genus | Lunaria |
| Species | L. annua |
| Family | Brassicaceae |
| Life Cycle | Biennial (Vegetative first year, flowers second year) |
| Format | 125-cell plug tray |
| Plug Care | Harden off and plant plugs promptly after arrival. Maintain evenly moist but well-drained growing medium; avoid both waterlogging and drought conditions. Any stress on the plants at this stage will diminish their overall success. These plants grow a taproot upon maturity so do not leave them in their cell trays for an extended period of time. |
| Netting / Staking | Not necessary - lunaria have naturally strong, upright stems. |
| Temperature Range | Lunaria tolerates a wide range of temperatures and growing conditions. They can be grown in most climates and will overwinter down to USDA zone 4. |
| Spacing | Space 12 to 18 inches apart to facilitate their large size upon maturity. |
| Soil Preference | For the best quality plants with the tallest stems, plant in rich, moist, well-draining soils. Will grow in most average soils but the plants will stay smaller with fewer pods in poor soil. Vegetative plants will overwinter best when soil is freely draining and not saturated over the winter. |
| Day Length | day-neutral: these plants flower early in the season and the pods are ready to harvest mid-summer. Plant in full sun for best results. |
| Pinching | Pinching not necessary. |
| When to Plant | Plant in the spring after the soil has warmed and the threat of frost has passed. You can also plant this crop later into the summer - don't forget they won't flower until year 2. They develop a taproot and don't transplant well once mature. |
| Harvesting | Harvest when seed pods are mature. The pods have a cover on either side that will naturally slough off or can be manually removed. If left to shed naturally, the seeds will drop into the garden and they will self-seed readily. This can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you're looking for. |
| Post Harvest Care | These seed pods can be used in fresh arrangements or they can be hung and dried. |
| Diseases / Insects | Lunaria is in the brassica family and is susceptible to the same diseases and pests that other brassicas are prone to. Watch for aphids and cabbage white caterpillars. Ensure they are planted in well draining soil to avoid root diseases. |
| Bailey's Notes | Lunaria is a standout in the dried flower world - the translucent, silvery “coins” (siliques) are highly prized in arrangements and wreaths. Because the dried pods last almost indefinitely, this crop can add long-term value to your product mix - as both fresh (with green pods) and dried stages contribute to design versatility. |
| Resources | NA |