Cooperative Living August 2020 - 30

GardenMuse | Story and photos by Paula Steers Brown, Contributing Writer
Bank on
Money Plant
D
uring this stay-at-home period,
I've come to appreciate plants
that have an interactive quality,
as they provide an extra hands-on
activity for children chomping at the
bit for something new to do.
Lunaria annua, or money plant, is
one such botanical marvel. Lunaria
means moon-like, and this genus name
refers not to the plant's cruciform
purple spring flowers, but to its highly
decorative seedpods of late summer.
As the plant matures and begins to
dry, it takes on a whole new life, casting
an ethereal, silver glow when placed
in dried arrangements or left in the
winter garden.
A favorite since Colonial times,
one of the plant's common names,
" honesty, " refers to its transparent pod
that renders its contents visible to
all. This translucent quality of the pods
makes them particularly interesting to
watch throughout their growing season.
PATIENCE IS KEY
Young plants behave like a biennial
rather than an annual (as the Latin
name, Lunaria annua, suggests), but
the second year is worth the wait.
The heart-shaped leaves remain as low
rosettes of foliage the first year, then
send up branched stalks of flowers
the following spring. The green color
begins to fade from the seedpods as
the plants dry in late summer. Cut
the stems at the base and hang them
28 | Cooperative Living | August 2020
upside down in a cool space to dry.
The process of getting the " money "
from the money plant is very fun, so
this is a good time to involve the
children. Gently rubbing a seedpod
between your thumb and fingers sheds
the papery-thin coverings from the
remaining satiny, white disk. The
pearly coin shape produced gives the
plant another of its common names,
" silver dollar. " These tissue-like silver
disks make beautiful, environmentally
friendly confetti to throw upon a bride
and groom or at any other occasion
when prosperity is desired.
PLANT OF MANY USES
Gluing the disks, in overlapping
fashion, to cover large plastic foam
balls for display can impart a winterwhite
glow to your holiday home.
Make wreaths, garlands and other
stunning botanical arrangements
from these luminaries.
You can be assured
of having money
plants every year
because of its selfseeding
quality. The
plants are lovely
naturalized in a
woodland setting
and are attractive
Satiny, white disks
on stems, the
coins and seeds.
to butterflies. Cutting the stalks before
the seeds drop provides lots of beautiful
dried plant material and prevents
spreading.
So popular is the striking, luminescent
botanical material, companies, such
as Walmart and Etsy, routinely offer for
a pretty penny. Harvesting the stalks
and then opening up their " bank " to
children to hoard the pretty coin-like
disks for decorations reaps double
rewards. You then can easily control
the number of seeds to plant for the
next year.
GROW FROM SEED
Lunaria reaches 2 to 3 feet in height;
because it has a long taproot, it does not
transplant well, but growing from seed
is easy. Plant your seeds in a semi-shady
situation with humus-rich,
well-drained soil that
can be kept evenly
moist. It's best to brush
away fallen leaves from
the rosette foliage that
benefits from winter
sunshine for strongest
growth. This remarkable
biennial produces constant
interest and, as a performer,
always shines. 
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Cooperative Living August 2020

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