Leaf
Claire Rigoulat, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Perennial honesty
Lunaria rediviva L.
Family: Brassicaceae
60 cm to 1 m tall
Moist woodland, shady gardens, rich soils
Flowering: April – June
Part shade
Shade
Hardy to -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Unlike annual honesty, its dry fruits stay elliptical rather than perfectly round like coins.
🍃 Leaves
Broad, heart-shaped, toothed, bright green
🌸 Flowers
Scented pale mauve flowers in a raceme
🍎 Fruits
Large elliptical siliques, translucent when dry
🪵 Bark
Upright clump, branched stems
🗺️ Distribution
Central and Eastern Europe; rare and localised in cool mountain woods in France (Vosges, Jura, Alps).
🐝 Value for pollinators
Nectar-rich mauve flowers visited by butterflies and bees in spring.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Shady, moist beds, naturalistic gardens; decorative translucent silique used in dried bouquets, like annual honesty.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No notable toxicity known.
🌿 Other Brassicaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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