How to Care for a Money Tree Plant

Overview

The money tree plant or lunaria annua also is known as honesty, dollar plant and moonwort. It has been given the name money tree because of the round, silver-dollar-size fruit it produces. It is a biennial with purple flowers. Blossoms appear in early April through May, and by mid-summer the sprays of fruit appear. These seed pods are unusual: thin, silvery, and translucent when mature. The money tree plant grows to a height of 2 to 3 feet. The dried sprays of fruit are used in flower arrangements.

Step 1

Select a planting location that receives full sun or partial shade. Your plant will do well in either of these locations. Do not plant it in complete shade.

Step 2

Determine if you need to amend the soil in your selected planting site. The money tree plant loves organically rich soil, which is loose and rich in texture. If you soil lacks these characteristics, add compost. Covering the flower beds in the summer with cedar chips, hard wood chips or similar material breaks down and enriches the soil each season

Step 3

Work the soil in the plant bed with your garden fork to loosen it, breaking up any hard clumps of soil. Add 2 to 3 inches of compost to the soil and mix it in well. The soil is now ready for planting.

Step 4

Mulch the plant bed after planting.with any of the commercially available mulches, such as cedar chips, hardwood chips, and pine chips. Put down 1 to 2 inches of mulch over the top of the plant bed. Mulch helps the soil retain moisture, which is very important during the hot summer months.

Step 5

Use a time-release fertilizer during the growing season and follow the manufacturer's directions.

Step 6

Water regularly when there hasn't been adequate rainfall. A deep watering once per week should be adequate, although in extremely hot temperatures you may have to increase this. Watch the plant for signs such as drooping leaves that it needs water. This plant requires well-drained soil.

Step 7

Cut back the plant stems to 2 to 4 inches from the ground after the first hard frost to prepare the money tree plant for winter. Place the dead plant material in your compost bin

Step 8

Cover the plant bed with leaves, hay, straw or evergreen boughs.