Growing Money Plant Lunaria Garden Seeds
- Taxonomy: Lunaria biennis
- Other Names: Silver Dollar, Dollar Plant, Honest Plant, Annual Honesty, Moonwort
- Seed Type: Annual (Biennial in zones 7 - 10)
- Sow Indoors or Outdoors: Money Plant lunaria seeds can be directly sown after the frost, but for earliest blooms, begin indoors 10 – 12 weeks before final frost. Lunaria seeds will germinate in 7 – 14 days with full light. Harden off if transplanting outside to a partially shaded spot or similar place indoors. Even if plants die off as annuals from flowering or fall chill, Money Plant lunaria will easily reseed itself for next spring and, once established, will never disappear.
- Days to Maturity: 2nd year maturity
- Hardiness Zone: 4 – 10
- Planting Depth: Plant 2 – 3 seeds ¼” deep
- Plant Spacing: 18 – 24”
- Growth Habit: 24 – 36” shrubby upright 12 – 24” wide with lavender floreted stalks which produce its famous golden 2” coin-shaped fruit
- Soil Preference: Moist, organically rich, well-drained
- Light Preference: Full sun – Partial sun
- Diseases/Pests/Troubleshooting: Money Plant lunaria thrives in well-drained soil and ventilated gardens. Water ground directly rather than overhead watering to minimize excessive moisture on the foliage, as plants are susceptible to leaf spot and stem canker, which are both caused by bacterias and fungi found in poorly-ventilated gardens. Lunaria has no serious pests.
- Color: Early purple and lavender florets that give way to the plant’s famous “coin-shaped” fruit that literally grows to resemble 2” translucent golden coins
Money Plant lunaria seeds can be directly sown after the frost, but for earliest blooms, begin indoors 10 – 12 weeks before final frost. Lunaria seeds will germinate in 7 – 14 days with full light. Harden off if transplanting outside to a partially shaded spot or similar place indoors. Even if plants die off as annuals from flowering or fall chill, Money Plant lunaria will easily reseed for next spring and, once established, will never disappear. Plant 2 – 3 Money Plant lunaria seeds ¼” deep and 18 – 24” apart in moist, organically rich, and well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Money Plant lunaria thrives in well-drained soil and ventilated gardens. Water ground directly rather than overhead watering to minimize excessive moisture on the foliage, as plants are susceptible to leaf spot and stem canker, which are both caused by bacterias and fungi found in poorly-ventilated gardens. Lunaria has no serious pests. Money Plant lunaria seeds are herbaceous biennials that mature in their 2nd year as 24 – 36” shrubby uprights 12 – 24” wide with lavender floreted stalks that will later produce world-famous golden 2” coin-shaped fruit.
Lunaria biennis, or most commonly known as Money Plant, is originally native to the Balkan region between Italy’s Adriatic Sea and Asia’s Black Sea, but is now naturalized throughout most of the temperate world. Lunaria biennis has gained worldwide popularity for its unique golden transluscent “coin-shaped” blooms.