Lunaria annua, commonly called Money Plant or silver dollar plant, is an enchanting annual flower that transforms gardens with vibrant violet blooms in spring and early summer. What truly sets this plant apart is what comes after the flowers fade: papery, translucent seed pods that shimmer like silver coins, making them prized for dried arrangements and winter garden interest. Growing 80-100 days from seed, it thrives in full sun across hardiness zones 3-9 and adapts readily to container growing. The delicate, fragrant flowers attract pollinators while the unique seed pods provide months of visual appeal.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-9
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Moderate
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The magic of Lunaria lies in its dual-season performance. You get charming violet flowers that perfume the spring garden and draw bees, then spend months admiring the ghost-white, moon-shaped seed pods that seem to glow in autumn light. These pods dry beautifully on the plant or in a vase, offering dried floral arrangers a truly distinctive material. It self-seeds readily, rewarding you with volunteer plants in future years if you let some pods mature naturally.
Lunaria serves dual purposes in the garden and home. The vibrant spring and early summer blooms brighten garden beds and cut arrangements, while the real treasure emerges later: the translucent seed pods are highly prized for dried floral work and winter arrangements. Many gardeners harvest these papery pods at peak maturity and dry them indoors for use in holiday décor or year-round floral displays.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow seeds directly into garden beds in spring or fall, pressing them lightly into well-prepared soil. Lunaria self-sows readily, so you can also allow mature seed pods to drop naturally and let nature handle the planting in subsequent years.
Harvest seed pods for dried arrangements once they have turned papery and translucent, typically in late summer or early fall. At peak maturity, the outer layers of the pod become thin and silvery, revealing the translucent membrane beneath. Cut or gently pull the mature pods from the plant and hang them upside down in a cool, dry location to cure completely before arranging.
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