What is honesty?
By Chelsie Vandaveer
August 22, 2003
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Suggested Reading—>Click here.
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Killer Picks: Professionally Designed Gardens—>Click here.
Moonlight Clematis, Carolina Moonlight Baptisia—>Click here.
Harvest Moon Coneflower, Asclepias, 'Gay Butterfly Mix'—>Click here.
In 1597, John Gerard wrote "They are commonly called Bolbonac...a barbarous name: we had rather call it...Viola latifolia, and Viola lunaris, or as it pleaseth most Herbarists, Viola peregrina...." By the late Renaissance, herbarists (or as we would call them, botanists) were
sorting plants into obvious relationships.
In Gerard's Herbal, bolbonac is correctly placed among those we call the Brassicaceae (Cruciferae), the mustard family. Viola applied to several species of brassicas especially those with fragrant flowers like stocks (Matthiola species). But Viola also applied to the violets.
Bolbonac was the name given to honesty (Lunaria annua Linnaeus). The name derived from the Greek, bolbos, swelling or bulb. It may have been a reference to the swollen bulbous roots or perhaps to its medicinal use. Gerard praised the topical treatment, "A certaine Chirurgian [ki rer' ji an] (surgeon) of the Helvetians composed a most singular unguent for wounds of the leaves of Bolbonac and Sanicle stamped together, adding thereto oile and wax."
The fruit of a brassica is a silique [se leek'], a pod with two chambers that splits on maturity. Honesty's silique is round, papery, and transparent, and ripens silvery--reminiscent of the moon, hence its generic name, Lunaria. This transparency is also the source of the name, honesty.
Honesty was not a frequently used name in Gerard's day; he gave the preferred common names: English Penny floure, Money floure, Silver Plate, Sattin, White Sattin, and Treacle mustard. He mentions, almost in passing, "...and among our women it is called Honestie...."
The Arboretum of Salisbury University has photographs of the flowers and siliques of honesty (Lunaria annua). The siliques turn silvery when ripened and are often used in dried flower arrangements. To view the photographs, click on the link:
Click on link to view the photographs
killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~
Suggested Reading:
What was love-in-idleness? What's in a Name? - March 12, 2004
What is the obedient plant? Weird Plant - May 29, 2003
How do sweet peas pollinate? Renfield's Garden - January 15, 2003
How does the yellow prairie violet use ants? Renfield's Garden - July 16, 2003
What is eating the violets? Renfield's Garden - July 23, 2003
What were the first herbal shampoos? Herbal Folklore - September 16, 2002
Killer Savings Links:
Breck's Bulbs -$25 off—>Click here.
Gurney's Seed and Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.
Henry Fields Seed and Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.
Spring Hill Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.
Gardens Alive! -$20 off—>Click here.
Michigan Bulb -$20 off—>Click here.
Unique Professionally Designed Gardens
Springhill Nursery®
Spring Hill Nursery has unique gardens professionally designed by experts to take the guesswork out of gardening. Whether you are looking for a three season garden, foundation garden, or a garden to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, Spring Hill Nursery has created a step-by-step design just for you.
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Moonlight Clematis
Spring Hill Nursery®
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Luminous, saucer-shaped, cream-colored flowers tinged with greenish yellow at the center shine against rich green, lobed leaves. Moonlight Clematis vines grow 6-8' tall, ideal for a trellis or lamppost in partial shade. Late spring to midsummer blooms attract butterflies. Space plants 3-4' apart.
Shipped in 3 inch pots. Deer tend to avoid.
Clematis 'Moonlight' Hardiness Zone: 4 - 9 (-30 degrees F)
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Vines - Save $20 on $50 order
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Unique Characteristics: A delicate, moderately fast growing variety. Hard to find color for clematis. Will show its best color if planted in a partial shade area.
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Carolina Moonlight Baptisia
Spring Hill Nursery®
Clump-forming perennial exhibits beautiful flower spikes up to 18” long resembling lupine blooms. Creamy-yellow, pealike flowers are a vision of beauty arranged on tall, sturdy, blue-green branched stems. Provide interest in an informal border, hillside or wildflower garden from early to midsummer. 24-36” tall.
Shipped in 3” pot. Deer tend to avoid.
Baptisia ‘Carolina Moonlight’ Zone 4 to 8
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Harvest Moon Coneflower
Spring Hill Nursery®
Large, 4” flowers in golden yellow with a subtle hint of orange. Petals reflex downward to showcase the prominent cone centers which start out green and transform into a brilliant golden orange. Delight in deliciously fragrant rose-scented blooms from mid to late summer. You’ll love all the colorful butterflies that will come to enjoy the beauty and fragrance, too! 24-36” tall. PPAF.
Shipped in 3” pot. Deer tend to avoid.
Echinacea x ‘Harvest Moon’ Zone 4 to 9
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Asclepias, 'Gay Butterfly Mix'
Spring Hill Nursery®
The Asclepias Gay Butterfly Mix has tiny, pendulous blossoms in shades of orange, red, pink and lemon-yellow are sure to lure butterflies to your garden! Cut flowers and pods are beautiful in either fresh or dried arrangements with Asclepias. Blooms profusely throughout summer. Grows 18-36" tall with a similar spread.
Shipped in 3" pot. Deer tend to avoid.
Asclepias tuberosa Zone 2 to 8
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This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall
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Unique Characteristics: Attractive bright colored blooms lures butterflies to garden. Long vase life. Flowers and pods can be used in dried arrangement. Free-flowering.
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killerplants Recommended Seed and Nursery Stores
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