Lunaria annua Honesty (Cruciferae)

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Lunaria annua
Honesty
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The Lunaria annua plant species is found in Europe - Sweden. More or less naturalized in Britain. It is a member of the Cruciferae family. Common gardeners may know the plant as Honesty. Some home gardeners know the variety as L. biennis.

Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses

Latin Name:  Lunaria annua
Common Name:  Honesty
Family:  Cruciferae
Author:  L.

Known Hazards:  None known

Mature Height:  0.6   Mature Width:  0.25

Habitat:  Moist soils in full sun or light shade, avoiding acid soils.

Edible Uses: Seed - cooked. A pungent flavour, they are used as a mustard substitute[183]. The pungency of mustard develops when cold water is added to the ground-up seed - an enzyme (myrosin) acts on a glycoside (sinigrin) to produce a sulpher compound. The reaction takes 10 - 15 minutes. Mixing with hot water or vinegar, or adding salt, inhibits the enzyme and produces a mild bitter mustard[238]. Root - raw[2, 61, 177]. Used before the plant produces flowers[46, 183].

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Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses

The information above has been supplied solely via the hard work and dedication of the team at 'Plants for a Future'.
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