Money Plant - Collection of Information -
Introduction - It started out this spring with a random picture of an UFP "unidentified flowering plant" I shared as a post on social media ; " I didn't plant that ".
It wasn't until the pods starting forming that I realized what it was. Money plant.
My husband had brought me a few clippings from a property he was maintaining a couple years back. He had laid them beside the porch for me. It is amazing has nature works. I ponder the fact it had been a couple years, I had done some digging and pulling in that area, it amazes me that I had disturped the dirt just right, unaware I had planted the seeds that fell from the pods. I do go around and try to clean up the beds, but having years of planting experience : I donot to pull anything I can't identify, not to lose precious wild flowers or forgotten emerging bulds, the money plant had time to flower. Learning it is a bi-annual that doesn't flower and produce seed pods until the second year. So let's get into the collection of information I researched on this new plant for me.
Above the picture from my flower bed of the now "identified" plant.
Collection of Information -
( lesiure time reading from various books and websites )
Money Plant - is the short identifing common name that I call it.
Depending on how you are researching, the author, the publication, what time period , and from what country is what I try to collect from; putting the pieces together, connecting the information not only as a collective but circumspectly as well. When I research being a gardener I want to know not only the plant, but how to grow it, and as a person of certain interest of loving history, folk-lore, symbolism and other things; being self- sufficent as well, what's the story and how to use it.
Money Plant > Lunaria , is bontanical name > Moonwort , is the "herbal" name > Honesty - is the "floral" name, among these three it has many common names depending on the country, silver dollar plant, silverbloom, chinese coin, pope's money, coins of Judas, or Judas pence, white satin flower, or satinflower, penny flower, Peter's pence, shiling plant, two pennies in a purse, or money in both pockets > I'm sure there are many other variations of these. The common names of plants fascinates me, even as I type I am thinking; how can I find the story behind "Peter's pence"...which reminds me of a book I came across years ago of what we would call in today's time a "DIY" book for designing and planting sancutaries called "Church Grounds and Gardens" copyrighted in 1964 based on Medieval monastery, chapel, churches etc., I am still not sure what everything is in this book because of the common names used, named after Saints... like the money plant , Peter's pence.
Money Plant is native to central and south Europe. Brought here in America from the settlers, so it is considered a "historical" plant, planted in the famous gardens of Monticello and mentioned in Thomas Jefferson's letters. Though I can not find the reference for you , I did read I believe in an old almanac the folk-lore of the money plant from the colonies. Planted as you enter the home as a bringer of money. Also included in the middle ages, Victorican housewife history of painting little pictures on the dried silver coins < the texture of a fine paper.
After all the collective information I believe the settlers brought money plant with them for food. It is a non-poisonous plant used in many ways. The root can be peeled and eaten, the young leaves harvested before flowering are edible, and the seeds can be used for a mustard substitute. An interesting foraging for food website I came across confirms this, called WildFoodUK.
Also interesting that several sites include money plant > Lunaria > Honesty, that the flowers are fragrant, attracting butterflies, bees and various pollinaters, as well as the flowers are edible, like many flowers a beautiful addition to salads. And in The Forgotten Langauge of Flowers the flower Honesty is listed with meaning, sincerity, honesty, and fascination.
Medical use though not "verified" , is treatment for MS - multiple scelerious. Listed as the fatty acid obtained from the seeds as this treatment. Though I have not yet found the symptom relief, or specific applied treatment, or dosages.
Today Money plant is grown commerically for dried flower arrangements, and you can find these branches in craft or hobby stores.
Both elegnant and whismical I can see why it is a favorite dried.
Below is a picture a simple arrangement made from my garden.
As you can see, I can get a little long winded, there's is just much information available , and I love it!. Let me make some list for you to simplify.
- Lunaria - sometimes with annua (annual) and/or (biennial), also known as Moonwort, and Honesty with Dozens of common names.
- US growing zones 4 - 9
- non-poisonous , edible leaves before flowering, flower, root, and seeds used
- blooms are fragrant, pink to purple or magenta to lavender, attracts butterflies, bees, pollinators, and some mention birds because of the seed
- considered annual and biennial, because it does grow one year, then flowers the next year producing pods, and some references herbacious perrenniel because once established it becomes an permanant addition, self-sowing.
- grows in full sun to semi-shade
to dry pods, cut stem when pods are developed and turning golden color, bunch and hang upside down, allowing to air dry, I put mne in paper bags to keep off dust and the main reason to catch the seeds. After dry, estimated 2 weeks, remove husks on both sides of pods by gently rubbing between thumb and finger, exposing the delicate "silver" coin. I do this process over a large flat container, to collect the seed, estimated 6 seeds or more per disc.
( I have a short video of this on my facebook page)
Here a picture of all the seeds collected from just a few plants this year.
I have available for purchase in my shop.
From all the research I came across it's no wonder why the pilgrims picked this as a plant to bring over on the Mayflower. This is only a short version, for time is limited and so are most people's attention spand...LOL! Just kidding.
If you have any questions contact me anytime.
If you are interested in other aspects of plants, look up
Alchemyworks.com and magicalrecipesonline.com > search Moonwort