Picture Notes:  

More Information:                                

Distribution:  Southern Europe; naturalized in Europe and N. America.

Synonyms:  

Hardiness Zone:  USDA Zones 4-8       (view USDA zone map)

Size:   2-3 ft. by 2 ft.

Form:   Biennial everlasting.

Bark:   

Stem/Bud:   Stems are erect, covered with sparse hairs and branching.

Leaves:   Leaves are bright green, broadly ovate to heart-shaped, veined, pointed, simple, alternate, coarsely serrated and upper leaves are sessile.

Fall Color:   

Flower:   Flowers are pink or red-purple, dark-veined, 4-petaled with long claws, fragrant, 1 in. long and on terminal racemes; flowering May to June.

Fruit:   Fruit are flat, orbicular silicles. Seeds pods are silver-white and paper-like (transparent) and 2 in. wide.

Uses:   Use in rock gardens, wildflower gardens, beds or borders. Seed pods are used for dried arrangements.

Problems:      

Culture:   Grow in full sun to part-shade in well-drained soil. Self-seeds.

Links:   

Notes:    Puritans called it Honesty and took it to Massachusetts in our first gardens. Supposedly the only seed they took. No use except it sustained the homesick through the first bitter winter. Gleason & Cronquist says occassionally escaped from cultivation. Fruits (called silicles) are 2 in. long and nearly as wide, rounded at both ends. Biennial but self sows well and grows like a perennial. Fruits in July and August.

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Cultivars:   

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