By Arlene Marturano marturanoa@yahoo.com “Honesty is the best policy” according to William Shakespeare and Benjamin Franklin. But did you know you can grow it in the garden?

The hardy biennial honesty plant, Lunaria annua, is grown for the scented white to purple flowers and decorative fruits.

Over the years the plant has acquired a litany of common names referring to the unique features of the seed pods. Honesty refers to the see–through seed pods revealing the flat seeds. Other common names include silver dollar, money plant, satin flower, satin pod, and moonwort. The genus name Lunaria is Latin for moon. The oval translucent seed pod resembles a full moon.

Native to Eurasia, lunaria crossed the Atlantic with colonial settlers and soon became one of the favorite flowers in early American gardens for its decorative pods and edible roots. Thomas Jefferson mentions lunaria in his plant diaries. Landreth, America’s oldest seed house established in 1784, still sells lunaria seed.

Lunaria readily reseed for continual supply of cut flowers, decorative pods, and gift seed. The old–fashioned plant succeeds in poor, fertile, moist, or dry soils. It flourishes in sun or partial shade and well–drained soil. Lunaria is easy to start from seed like its mustard family kin. In Columbia seed can be sown directly in the ground in autumn or just before the last frost date in spring. Seed germinates in 10–14 days. Saved seed remains viable for three–four years and is a favorite to passalong to oth- ers.

As a biennial, lunaria has a two–year lifespan. Plants develop leaves the first year and produce flowers and seeds in the second year. Since it self–seeds lavishly, offspring return to the garden continuously. Mature plants reach a height of three feet with a spread of one foot.

The lovely rounded racemes of four– petaled flowers make excellent cut flowers. The heirloom flowers are found in cottage gardens, perennial borders, cutting gardens everlasting plantings, shade gardens, and open woodlands. Since the flowers attract bees and butterflies, lunaria are often seen in naturalized wildflower areas. The oval pointed serrated leaves host larvae of the cabbage white butterfly.

Dry seed pods have many uses, the most popular being an element in dry arrangements. Children turn seed pods into coins, trinkets to trade, gypsy jewelry, monocles, dollhouse accessories, mobiles, and fairy wind chimes.

The seed oil from Lunaria annua has received scientific and commercial interest. The fatty acid content of the seed oil appears to have potential for hightemperature lubricants and engineering nylons as well as pharmaceuticals. In the United Kingdom oil of lunaria is being considered for the treatment of muscular sclerosis.

Honesty goes a long way in life and in the garden.