Silver Dollar is an herbaceous biennial in the mustard family. It grows up to 3' tall and is taller than it is broad. The flat papery fruits are showy and are this plant's most valued feature. Flowers bloom in late spring to summer and the fruits appear in midsummer. This plant flowers the 2nd year from propagation by seed. Lunaria is derived from luna , the Latin name for moon, a reference to the shape of the fruit. It is used most often in dried floral arrangements. This plant requires full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. If you start it in your garden it will be there forever as it can be weedy. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Quick ID Hints: Fruit is orbicular, flat silicle with a papery septum Racemose flowers have 4 clawed petals Leaves are toothed, alternate, cordate It is reported as invasive in some areas of the country.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate; Opposite
Leaf shape
Cordate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Serrate
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves are alternate, simple, broad-ovate to heart-shaped (cordate), acute, cordate, and coarsely dentate. Upper leaves are sessile or subsessile. Leaves are pointed at the tip and are up to 3.5 inches long by 2 inches wide.
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Saucer
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
2-6 inch terminal racemes of pink, white, or purple 1/2 inch deeply clawed flowers with branching veins. Bloom time is late spring to summer and they have a pleasant fragrance.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit value
Good Cut; Good Dried; Showy
Fruit detail
Paper-thin, flat, orbicular, flat silicle, silver dollar sized fruits that become translucent with age and resemble a full moon, hence one of the common names. Septums are pearly white in color.
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Hairy stems are erect, tall, and branching. Green to reddish-green.