Content
The lunar flower is an original plant that can please the eye in a flowerbed in summer and in a vase in winter. It is very popular among gardeners. And the reason for this is its seed pods, with which you can make dry winter bouquets.
Description and characteristics
Lunar plants belong to the genus Lunaria, which is part of the Brassicaceae family. The botanical name of the genus comes from the Latin “Luna”, that is, “moon”. Lunaria received this name for the shape and color of the seed pods, reminiscent of a night star.
The genus includes only 4 species:
- reviving moonflower (Lunaria rediviva);
- Lunaria telekiana;
- annual moonflower (Lunaria annua/ biennis);
- Lunaria elongata,
Despite its small number, the genus includes perennial and annual plants. The first include Lunaria reviving and Lunaria telekiana.Of the latter, only one-year-old moonflower is known, which can also be two years old. Nothing is known about the latter species. There isn't even a picture.
General botanical description of the genus Lunaria
Lunarians are common on the European, Asian and North American continents. Each species has its own homeland. Through cultivation in gardens, two species of moonflower were brought from the original continent to other continents. The main “requirement” of lunaria is a temperate climate.
The growing season for plants is from spring to autumn. The leaves are large, heart-shaped, with serrated edges. May be with or without petioles.
The flowers are large, collected in brushes. The petals are long. The seeds are quite small, located in flat fruit pods sitting on a 1.5 cm long petiole. After ripening, the walls of the achenes become transparent.
They are grown as garden crops and for making dry winter bouquets.
Due to the fact that many gardeners name flowers based on their associations, confusion often arises. This happened with a representative of not just another family, but even a different class - the aspen tree (Oenothera). The flower in the photo below is evening primrose, another name for which is yellow moonflower. But she is not even a “relative” of Lunaria and belongs to the Willowweed family.
Gardeners are misled by the almost round flowers of evening primrose and aspen, which also look like the full moon.
Annual and resuscitating moonflowers rarely coexist together in nature. The second prefers a moderate cold climate. An example is Great Britain. Annual lunaria grows in more southern regions.
Types of lunaria
Only two species are most common in cultural gardening: annual lunaria and reviving.Telekiana is much less common. But for gardeners, the annual moonflower is most attractive. It is he who has round seed pods. Although the one that comes to life has its own advantages: sow once and you can enjoy it for several years.
Annual moonflower
Latin name Lunaria annua. The second part of the name means "one-year-old." But the plant also has another Latin name: Lunaria biennis, that is, two-year-old. Many biologists consider this to be correct, since in nature, and most often in the garden, moonflower blooms only in the second year.
The annual moonflower grows up to 90 cm in height and up to 30 cm in diameter. Its leaves are rough to the touch, large, and pointed at the ends. Covered with stubble. Edges with noticeable teeth. The lower ones are on petioles, the upper stem ones are “planted” on peduncles.
White or purple flowers, collected in loose panicles, appear in spring and summer. They are located in the upper part of the flowering stems. There are 4 petals in each flower
In autumn, flat seed pods with a diameter of about 3 cm appear on the annual moonflower. Their walls are very thin, the grains are visible through them. Because of this, in English the lunnik is called honesty - “honesty”. The fruits can remain on the bush throughout the winter.
After the pod opens and its walls fall off, a silvery membrane remains on a 1.5 cm long petiole. Before this, seeds were attached to it on both sides.
Other names for lunar are “silver dollar”, “Chinese coins”, “Pope’s money”, “Judas coins”, “silver ruble”
Long-lived moonflower
Area of origin: European mainland. The habitat of this plant covers almost all of Europe, including northeast Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. This species of moonweed was brought to the North American continent by humans. Habitat: moist deciduous forests. In the mountains it is found up to an altitude of 1400 m. It prefers slightly acidic soils rich in nutrients and humus. It can also grow on gravelly and clay soil. In nature it is considered an endangered species.
The reviving moonflower is a perennial herbaceous plant. Peduncles 30-100 cm high, erect, branching at the top. Rough to the touch. Covered with whitish hairs.
The leaves are petiolate, heart-shaped. Pubescent with short soft villi. The color of the upper part is dark green, the lower part is blue-green.
Under natural conditions, it blooms only in the 5th year of life. In cultivation it is already on the second stage, since with good soil and fertilization the development of the plant accelerates. Flower buds form in autumn. Shoots appear from them in April, and the first flowers appear in May.
Flowers are collected in loose panicles. The color of the petals is lilac. Unlike its annual “brother,” the white-flowered form is rare. The length of the petals is about 1.4 cm. Flowering in April-June.
The fruits begin to form at the end of August. The seeds fall off in September. The pods are large, elongated, 4-5 cm long, sharp at both ends. The shape is oblong-elliptical. The seeds ripen in August.
The reviving moonflower is not particularly popular due to its pods that look like dry willow leaves
The description of the reviving moonflower mentions its undoubted advantage over the annual one: it can grow in shady places. Another plus is that perennial lunaria can be propagated not only by seeds, but also by dividing the rhizomes.
Lunaria telekiana
Endemic to the Prokletiysky Mountains. Grows in Albania and Montenegro. Populations are small. Belongs to an endangered species. Habitat: moist rocky forests formed by European beech, limestone and dolomite soils.
The plant is perennial, up to 1 m high. The leaves are pointed, ovate. The edges are jagged. The length of flower petals is 12 mm. Flowering from July to August.
Unlike the annual and reviving moonflowers, this representative of the Cabbage family has pink flowers and pods of a regular ellipsoidal shape. The length of the pods is 3-5 cm. There are few seeds in each: 3-4 pieces, rarely more.
Ellipsoids with blunt ends are more attractive than “dry leaves”, but lose to round “rubles”
Methods of propagation of lunaria flower (lunaria)
The main method of propagation of lunaria is by seeds. Perennials are also propagated vegetatively. But this method is not particularly popular among gardeners. Not least because the moonflower coming to life in gardens is quite rare.
Growing conditions
When choosing a planting site, it is necessary to take into account the preferences of the selected species. Annual lunaria does not tolerate shade. It is better to plant it in a sunny area. But if this is not the case, you can choose a shaded place. The annual is tolerant of partial shade.
The reviving moonflower should be planted in shade or partial shade. Direct sunlight can cause leaf burns.
Planting and caring for dried lunar flowers in open ground
Any garden owner wants to get a flowering plant as quickly as possible. But lunar people are slow. Their development can be accelerated if you remember little secrets.
When to sow seeds
Moonflower seeds are usually planted in the spring after the danger of overnight frost has passed. They are sown immediately in a permanent place. In fact, this is what happens in nature. In this case, the annual moonflower forms only a rosette of leaves in the first year. It will bloom in a year. Accordingly, perennial lunaria grown from seeds will produce flowers only in the 5th year of life.
All types of lunar plants can be grown with seedlings
Sowing seeds and subsequent care
The soil at the selected location is dug up to a depth of 20 cm and nutrients are added to it. Moonflower seeds have good germination, and they can be immediately planted at a distance of 40 cm from each other so that adult bushes do not interfere with each other.
For propagation, only dark brown, ripened seeds are selected. After planting, they are sprinkled with a thin layer of soil and watered well.
At first, lunar plants need a lot of moisture, so watering is carried out at least once a week, depending on the weather. The soil should be moist to a depth of 3 cm. The appearance of weeds is also controlled.
Sprouts appear 10-14 days after planting. After the leaves appear, watering is carried out early in the morning so that they dry before sunrise. You can also give the bushes water in the evening.
One-year-old lunaria does not require replanting, but a reviving lunaria sometimes has to be transplanted. If the bush has grown greatly, it is dug up in early autumn after flowering and the rhizome is divided. After this, you can immediately plant the bushes in another place.
Diseases and pests of the moonberry plant
Lunariums are disease-resistant plants. But not to everyone. Their scourge is fungal diseases:
- Root rotb, signs – growth retardation, wilting, yellowing. The roots may appear swollen, with mucus, or twisted.
The cause of root rot is most likely due to too much acidity in the soil.
- Septoria leaf blight: the appearance of round spots with gray centers and dark edges. The reason is excessive crowding of plants during the rainy season.
Treatment of septoria consists of removing all infected parts and thinning the plants
- Powdery mildew. For treatment, the affected parts are removed and the plants are thinned out.
To prevent powdery mildew, treat flowers with fungicides.
The most annoying pests are aphids and cruciferous flea beetles. The first is the scourge of the entire garden and the entire plot of land must be cultivated. The second “specializes” in cruciferous plants. This is a leaf beetle that feeds on the above-ground parts of representatives of the Cabbage family. In both cases, insecticides are used to get rid of insects.
A small (no more than 2.5 mm) jumping leaf beetle can quickly destroy all the beauty of lunaria
Preparing for winter
The lunar plant does not require any special preparation for winter. You can find recommendations to cover the plant for the winter. But this applies to those regions where there are severe frosts in winter.Practice shows that lunaria overwinter well without shelter and even reproduce by self-sowing. Especially the more cold-loving annual moonflower.
However, if there is concern that the plant will freeze, it can be covered. Since after the growing season the entire upper part of the lunar plant dries out, it is removed. Dry leaves or spruce paws are placed on top and covered with tarpaulin or slate.
The plant has completed its life cycle. In this case, all preparation for winter consists in timely cutting off the stems with pods and properly drying them in the house for a winter bouquet. And also in the selection of seeds for sowing next year.
Lunnik in landscape design
Depending on the tastes and preferences of the garden owner, lunar can be used:
- to emphasize the beauty of other flowers: roses, clematis, lilies, daffodils, tulips;
- as an unpretentious plant along with lupine, foxglove, bells, cinquefoil and other similar flowers;
- in gravel gardens, which also require flowers to be unpretentious;
- to fill empty space under trees.
And, of course, don’t forget about winter bouquets of dried flowers.
Conclusion
The annual lunar flower is the most frequent guest in gardens, since other species are more difficult to grow in Russian climatic conditions. In addition, its pods are best suited for winter dry bouquets and various crafts. In a blooming state, it is difficult to distinguish it from its brother - the reviving lunaria.
