The so-called annual silver leaf (Lunaria annua) is actually a two-year-old plant and is relatively inconspicuous in the first year. The plant from the cruciferous family, which thrives with very little to no care, is cultivated in the garden primarily because of its decorative, silvery, shimmering moon-shaped seeds.
When and how should the silver leaf be cut?
To cut silver leaf (Lunaria annua) for decorative purposes, you should cut off the seed heads in late summer before they open and the seeds fall out. The seed pods are characterized by their silvery, moon-like shape.
Biennial plant with little care required
The most important thing when sowing silver leaf in the garden is choosing a suitable location. This should not be too sunny and dry, as the silver leaf needs constant soil moisture and also appreciates a certain level of humidity. Since the plant only produces relatively inconspicuous, low-height leaves in its first year, it sometimes accidentally falls victim to weeding in the garden. Therefore, mark the location of your silver leaf with a bamboo stick (€54.00 on Amazon) or a similar reminder so that you actually “leave the plants alone” until they bloom in the second year. For use in salads, you should only pluck some of the leaves from the silver leaf in the first year so that the plants can still develop well.
Cutting the seed pods for decoration purposes
The silver leaf usually blooms relatively discreetly in white, pink or violet between April and June. Since the flowers are rather inconspicuous, they are rarely used as cut flowers. From late summer onwards, the initially green and later increasingly whitish seed pods with their flat, moon-like shape become increasingly visible on the plants. Over time, the outer walls of these seed pods become almost as translucent as thin parchment, revealing the brown, flattened seeds. To use as a durable decoration in a vase, you should cut off the seed heads before they begin to open and the seeds fall out.
The silver leaf as an ingredient in herb salad
In the first and second year you can pick individual leaves from the annual silver leaf (Lunaria annua) and serve them in salads, cooked vegetable side dishes or on bread and butter. The leaves, stems and flowers of the silver leaf are non-toxic and therefore digestible in moderation. However, silver leaf seeds should not be used for consumption as they contain various alkaloids.
Tip
The annual silver leaf (Lunaria annua) is widespread in Europe. In addition, there are also less common perennial silver leaf species that can be cut and propagated by division over the course of their lifespan.
