Lunaria

For the astrological genre, see Lunary. For the asteroid, see 1067 Lunaria. For the 2021 Japanese video game, see Lunaria: Virtualized Moonchild.

Lunaria
L. annua
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Brassicales
Family:	Brassicaceae
Genus:	Lunaria L.
Species
Lunaria annua - annual honesty Lunaria rediviva - perennial honesty Lunaria telekiana

Lunaria is a genus of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae. It is native to Europe and has been introduced to North America and elsewhere.[1] Species include:

• L. annua (syn. L. biennis), annual or biennial
• L. rediviva, perennial
• L. telekiana. rare Balkan species[2]

The Latin name Lunaria means "moon-like" and refers to the plants' decorative seedpods.[3]

They have hairy toothed leaves and terminal racemes of white or violet flowers in Spring and Summer, followed by prominent, translucent, disc-shaped seedpods, which are frequently seen in flower arrangements.[2]

They are widely grown as ornamental plants in gardens, and have become naturalised in many temperate areas away from their native habitat.

Gallery

• 
  L. annua, with seeds
• 
  L. annua, without seeds
• 
  L. annua, unripe seedpod in July
• 
  Detail of flower,
  L. annua
• 
  White-flowered form,
  L. annua
• 
  Storage roots at the end of first growth period,
  L. annua
• 
  L. rediviva
• 
  L. rediviva
• 
  L. rediviva

See also

• Money plant

References

1. "Lunaria Tourn. ex L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 22 April 2023.
2. RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1-4053-3296-5.
3. Coombes, Allen J. (2012). The A to Z of plant names. USA: Timber Press. p. 197. ISBN 978-1-60469-196-2. OCLC 741564356.