Perennial honesty

Lunaria rediviva

In other languages: Wilde judaspenning (Nederlands) · Lunaire vivace (Français)

Perennial honesty (Lunaria rediviva) is a native perennial of moist, chalky deciduous woods in Europe. Unlike the common, biennial honesty, it stays in place for years and forms a large clump of heart-shaped, toothed leaves. In April–June, upright stems 60–100 cm tall carry loose clusters of sweetly scented lilac flowers. They are followed by oval seed pods, pointed at both ends, with a silvery membrane that look wonderful in dried bouquets. It is a lovely, quiet plant for shady spots.

Updated on 9 October 2026

Light
Partial shade or shade
tolerates little sun
Moisture
Normal
no wet feet
Legal basis
Loam or clay
neutral to chalky
Hardiness
Fully hardy
down to -30 °C
Size
0.8 m
tall, 0.4 m wide
Flowering
April–June

Key facts
Pruning months	March
Height	0.8 m
Native to Belgium	Yes
Good for bees, butterflies and birds	Yes, for bees
Poisonous to people and pets	Not known to be poisonous
Flowering	April–June

Identify

Perennial honesty: how do you recognise it?

Habit: Upright perennial clump 0.8–1 m tall and 40 cm wide, with a creeping rhizome.
Leaves: Heart-shaped to oval, pointed, 5–15 cm, with a toothed edge and long stalks on the lower leaves; soft green.
Flower: Loose clusters of lilac, cross-shaped flowers with four petals, sweetly scented, in April–June.
Fruit: Oval seed pods, pointed at both ends, about 4–8 cm long, with a silvery, papery central membrane.
Roots: A creeping rhizome with which the plant slowly forms a clump.

Flowering: April–June · Plants: March–April and September–October · Pruning: March

In your garden

Why grow it?

A native plant that keeps coming back: no yearly resowing as with biennial honesty.
Sweetly scented lilac flowers in April–June, at a time when the shade border may still be bare.
The oval, silvery pods are decorative in the garden and lovely in dried bouquets.
Grows in partial shade to shade, where many other flowering plants struggle.
Bees visit the scented flowers.

Perennial honesty: where does it grow best?

Partial shade to shade, for example under light trees or on the north side of a wall.
Humus-rich, moist soil: loam or clay, neutral to chalky.
Evenly moist but not waterlogged; it copes poorly with long drought.
Sheltered from strong wind. Plant 40 cm apart.

Light: Partial shade and shade
Soil type: Loam or clay
Acidity: Neutral or chalky
Moisture: Normal
Size: 0.8 m tall, 0.4 m wide
Hardiness: Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

Lungwort: Flowers at the same time in blue and pink, in the same shade.
Ferns: Fresh, green leaves beneath the lilac flowers.
Hosta: Large leaves at the base, in the same partial shade.
Wood anemone: White spring flowers beneath the tall honesty.

Maintenance

Perennial honesty: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

Plant in March–April or September–October, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
Dig a hole at least twice as wide as the root ball and mix in compost or leaf mould.
Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot; do not plant deeper.
Keep 40 cm between plants and firm the soil.
Water thoroughly straight away and mulch with leaf compost.

Care

Water: Weekly in dry weather in the first year; afterwards water in long dry spells, especially in sun.
Feeding: A spadeful of compost or leaf mould in spring is enough.
Mulching: A layer of leaf compost in spring keeps the soil cool and moist.
Seed pods: Leave a few pods for dried bouquets or cut them in August–September, when they are silvery.
Leave in peace: Avoid moving it: it dislikes disturbance.

Tip: Leave a few pods until autumn and cut a few for dried bouquets: they keep their silvery sheen for years. Avoid moving it.

Perennial honesty: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March.

When: In March, before new shoots start to grow; cut the pods in August–September for dried bouquets.

How:

In March, cut last year’s dead stems down to just above the ground.
Cut stems with ripe pods for dried bouquets once the pods have turned papery.
Remove yellowing or damaged leaves in summer.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed: Sow fresh seed in late summer or autumn outdoors in pots or a cold frame; a cold spell helps germination. Seedlings flower only after a few years.
Division: In March or September, carefully cut a rooted piece from the clump and replant it. It dislikes being moved, so do not do this too often.

Perennial honesty: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

Fully hardy to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
The top growth dies back in winter; the plant shoots again in spring.
In a pot: keep it sheltered and water now and then in dry winter weather.

Diseases and pests

Slugs: They strip young shoots in spring. Collect them in the evening or set up a barrier.
Scorched leaves: Brown edges and limp leaves in drought or too much sun. Water and provide shade.
Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in dry shade. Water, allow space and cut away affected leaves.
Root rot: In waterlogged soil. Ensure free-draining soil and mix in compost.

Through the year

March: Cut dead stems back. Plant or divide.
April: Flowering begins. Plant.
May: Flowering: the flowers smell sweet. Mulch.
June: End of flowering. The pods form.
July: Water in dry weather.
August: Pods ripen. Cut for dried bouquets.
September: Plant or divide. Sow fresh seed.
October: Plant. Apply leaf compost.

Use

Good for wildlife

Bees: Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

You and this species

Did you know?

Lunaria comes from the Latin luna (moon), after the silvery, moon-like pods; rediviva means ‘revived’, because the plant returns every year.
The silvery membrane is revealed when the brown outer valves of the pods fall away.
In the wild it grows in moist, chalky deciduous woods.

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