These seed pods belong to the plant honesty. It’s a lovely plant originally from central and southern europe which has been adopted by gardeners, mainly for these unusual seed pods. There are a few varieties but only two colours: purple or white. Differences are mainly seen in the foliage colour but one variety stands out for its wobbly lance-shaped seed pods – the rest have oval-round disc-shaped pods.

They flower in April/May and though the flowers are not knock-out, en masse they look lovely and the pollinators and caterpillars of the orange-tip butterfly love them. Horticulturally they are grown for the seedpods which start off as tough, almost succulenty in their texture with this lovely green that is semi-translucent and shows the seeds developing inside.

The seed pod has three layers – a central layer with two enclosing outer layers that clamp the seed inside. As the seeds mature, these structural layers become thinner, more translucent and fragile. Eventually the outer layers peel back releasing the seeds and leaving behind only the fragile tracing paper-like central layer with a gentle sheen. Is the seeds mature, the plant dries creating a fine skeleton with discs at the ends of the branches – highly decorative as dried flowers.

The round discs give the plant its other names, including: moonwort, penny flower, money plant. Elizabethans also called it prick-song due to the resemblance of the seed pods to musical notes. Traditionally associated with prosperity, honesty, money, sincerity and thought to be protective in witchcraft. Victorians painted intricate scenes on the translucent pods. Parts of it are edible: the leaves (in salad when young or steamed like kale), flowers in salad and the roots (grated) raw or cooked. There’s some disagreement regarding the seed pods (fruit) – most sources say they are edible one said they’re poisonous! Personally I’d rather leave the seed pods and watch them develop into their full glory.

Easy to grow from seed and can get as plug plants and will naturalise (ie spread!). Likes partial shade, dabbled light, most soil conditions. A good chuck and forget plant – just don’t weed out the seedlings by mistake. Needs a period of cold in order to flower, so won’t flower in the first year. Biennial and perennial varieties.