Lunaria annua Honesty I
This was a garden plant introduced from southern Europe but it has successfully escaped and you can expect to find it dotted here and there on our country lane verges in Spring. It has mostly purple or purple/pinkish and pure white flowers but the seeds, which look look like the moon are what makes this plant ideal for dried flower decoration. The transparency of the flat, round seed pods gave rise to the common name Honesty. In spite of its name Lunaria annua it is actually a biennial with nettle shaped leaves form a rosette which flowers the following year.
Lunaria annua is found throughout England and Wales and in southern Scotland but records are uncommon in the north west of Scotland. It has not escaped as much in Ireland being mostly found in north eastern Ireland and the south east around Wexford.
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| Lunaria annua Honesty purple flowers | Lunaria annua Honesty white flowers |
RHS: Roadside verge, Alvanley, Cheshire 8th April 2005 LHS: Sefton coast 3rd May 2006
Added on 8th April 2005, updated 4th December 2010, updated 29th May 2012