Plant Details

Lunaria annua, L. biennis

Honesty

Back

Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Lunaria annua, L. biennis.

Use this plant

Log in to add this plant to your recipes.

Log in

Common names

3 names · 3 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Honesty
Other languages (2)
Dutch
  • Judaspenning
French
  • Monnaie du pape
Sources & name notes

Names recorded in our plant catalogue, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

General information

Scientific name: Lunaria annua, L. biennis
Taxonomic placement (Kew): Lunaria annua L. View name reference ↗

Kew accepts Lunaria annua and lists Lunaria biennis Moench as its synonym. Both catalogue names therefore refer to the same annual-honesty species.

Sources [2] [3]
Botanical family: Brassicaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Lunaria (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Honesty

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous, Ground cover
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.60 m
Spread: 0.30 m
Growth rate: Fast
Foliage: None

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 8-10
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Partial shade, Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Condiment, Root, Seed
Edibility rating:
(2)
Medicinal rating:
(0)
Functions:
Bee forage

Description

Cooked seeds have a sharp taste and can be used as an alternative to mustard. The sharp taste of mustard occurs when cold water is added to the ground seeds, causing an enzyme (myrosin) to react with a glycoside (sinigrin) to produce a sulfur compound. This reaction usually takes 10-15 minutes. If the seeds are mixed with hot water or vinegar, or if salt is added, the enzyme is inhibited, resulting in a mild bitter mustard. Carrots can be eaten raw, and it is advisable to use them before the plant produces flowers.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/06
Harvest ends: 30/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 47844; name ID 2338471; Lunaria Tourn. ex L.. Family column.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Lunaria annua L.
    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Name heading and taxonomic status; Kew accepts Lunaria annua and lists Lunaria biennis Moench as its synonym. Both catalogue names therefore refer to the same annual-honesty species.

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Lunaria biennis Moench
    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Taxonomic synonyms or horticultural name section. Kew accepts Lunaria annua and lists Lunaria biennis Moench as its synonym. Both catalogue names therefore refer to the same annual-honesty species.

    Source checked on .