I was in the Buncrana Credit Union last week where someone
asked me where I could get Honesty seeds from. I reminded myself that I had
this plant in quite a few gardens over the years but it was one that I failed
to take with me in my many house moves.
Thinking about it there are a lot of plants that I don’t
take with me and now I am restocking strawberries, raspberries and currents
with cuttings and plantlets obtained from varieties that I gave away to other
people in the past. Sharing your plants is a great way to ensure you can
restock I have found.
This doesn’t seem to be the case with Honesty, I neglected
to take any of the seeds with me. If you
are not sure what these plants look like it’s probably because you are used to
seeing the lovely translucent seed pods that come in autumn. These transparent
tissue like seeds heads are very popular in floral arrangements and can last
for years neglected in a jar on a windowsill. The flowers are pretty enough
with colours ranging from white, pink and purple. They remind me of perennial
geraniums or phlox so do have a place in the flower garden.
Honesty
Honesty or Lunaria annua to give it its Latin name is a
biennial belonging to the brassica family. When it is happy, which is most of
the time since it generally chooses for itself where to live, it can develop
into a robust, branching plant, 2ft tall and 1.5ft across.
It is a gregarious plants and often seeds in a crowd when
its effect can be magnificent. Unfortunately it has no scent. Although a
biennial, with each plant living only two years, when it is established it will
go on forever, becoming a feature of the late spring garden. When left to its
own devices it often turns up in unexpected places, it can sometimes be seen in
roadsides but I haven’t seen any around Inishowen yet.
Lunaria annua has several different forms, mainly biennial,
but there is a perennial honesty Lunaria rediviva that is an exceptionally
beautiful plant. It has a simple grace with metre-high stems clothed in fresh
green heart-shaped leaves. Its cross-shaped flowers are pale lavender and
sweetly scented. They are followed by elliptical seed-heads with the same
papery texture as those of Lunaria annua.
And for wildlife? Well, this is one of the very few flowers
that Orange-tip butterflies will stop off at to nectar in spring. And the
females will lay their eggs on the leaves.
Growing tips
To sow the plant yourself start collecting seed when the
papery pods are mature. Spread out the heads on a piece of drawing paper when
they are dry and crisp. Each disc is composed of twin circular plates locked
together and enclosing three large flat seeds. These are also disc-shaped.
At the top of each case is a tiny ‘catch’ that you pull like
a ring-pull on a can to peel off one layer. The three seeds stick to this thin
skin, leaving the backing-sheet clean and translucently silver, still attached
to the stalk.
Some can be sown in situ, where they should survive and
flourish. Others can be sprinkled on loam-based seed compost, covered with grit
and kept in a warm, light place.
They are big seeds and if they are station-sown - one to a
module compartment or in separate pots - they can develop individually and be
planted out without root disturbance. When sowing in situ, cover the seed
lightly and water well. If planting from modules or seed trays dig in a little
old compost first.
Honesty develops thick storage roots, almost like tubers,
and, in common with other brassicas, has deep tap roots. Keeping them in pots
for any length of time prevents the roots developing properly and, if plants
are not put out promptly, they will dwindle.
Lunaria annua will cope in most situations and seems
happiest growing among other plants. In common with most brassicas it prefers
lime and resents peat or very acidic conditions. Avoid overfeeding and do not
use manure.
This is a plant of scrub and waste ground and needs no
pampering. Lunaria rediviva prefers slightly damper conditions. Prepare the
planting hole with plenty of good home-made compost or leaf-mould but, again, no
muck.
If you are in the Credit Union in Buncrana and have some
seed heads from an Honesty plant I’m sure the staff member would be more than
happy to take a few bunches of seed heads from you, they will be in good hands.
It will also ensure that if you do move house and forget to take some with you,
there will be a ‘seed bank’ for you to rekindle your stock in the future.
