# perennial honesty (*Lunaria rediviva*)

Perennial honesty is a beautiful plant with shiny, round seed pods that look like coins! It grows in gardens and woodlands, adding a special touch to nature's beauty.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Woodlands
- **Also known as:** Honesty Plant

![perennial honesty](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lunaria_rediviva_kz09.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lunaria_rediviva_kz09.jpg)

## Appearance

The perennial honesty has elegant clusters of small, fragrant purple or white flowers. These develop into its most distinctive feature: large, flat, silvery-translucent seed pods that resemble full moons, making it visually unique.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Brassicales
- **Family:** Brassicaceae
- **Genus:** Lunaria

## Interesting facts

- Its scientific name, Lunaria, means 'moon-like', inspired by its round, silvery seed pods!
- People sometimes call it 'money plant' because its shiny, flat seed pods look like silver coins!
- The translucent seed pods are often dried and used in flower arrangements, lasting for years!
- You can often find this plant growing wild in shady woods, preferring cool, damp spots!

## Special abilities

- **Moonlight Glider:** Perennial honesty has paper-thin, silvery seed pods that flutter on the wind, spreading its seeds far and wide for new plants.
- **Winter Whisperer:** This plant keeps a rosette of green leaves close to the ground all winter, allowing it to start growing fast in spring.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 60-120 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Visits its fragrant flowers for nectar.
- **Pollinates:** Small white butterfly (*Pieris rapae*) — Feeds on nectar, aiding pollination.
- **Eaten by:** [Black slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — May browse on young leaves and stems.

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always ask an adult before touching or tasting any plants.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify perennial honesty?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is perennial honesty?

60-120 cm

### How wide does perennial honesty spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on perennial honesty?

2-3 cm

### When does perennial honesty bloom?

Late spring to early summer

### Is perennial honesty edible?

Yes

### Is perennial honesty toxic?

None

### What is perennial honesty's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Naturpark Harz/Sachsen-Anhalt](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-harz-sachsen-anhalt) — Sachsen-Anhalt, DE · Park
- [Naturpark Südschwarzwald](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/southern-black-forest-nature-park) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Park
- [Ardennes Regional Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ardennes-regional-nature-park) — Grand Est, FR · Park

[View all places to see perennial honesty](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/perennial-honesty)

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Perennial Honesty: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/perennial-honesty)