Annual Honesty (Lunaria annua) is in the mustard family family (Brassicaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 5,506 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Nationally it blooms mainly from April to May, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Annual Honesty: observations by month (U.S.)
About Annual Honesty
Lunaria annua, called honesty or annual honesty in English, is a species of flowering plant native to the Balkans and south west Asia, and naturalized throughout the temperate world.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Annual Honesty by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 631 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Washington | 531 | April | Apr–May |
| California | 506 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Oregon | 478 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Virginia | 460 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Massachusetts | 352 | May | Apr–May |
| Tennessee | 265 | April | Apr–Apr |
| New York | 256 | May | Apr–May |
| Utah | 248 | April | Apr–May |
| Michigan | 213 | May | Apr–May |
| Maryland | 193 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Pennsylvania | 193 | April | Apr–May |
| Ohio | 182 | April | Apr–May |
| New Jersey | 148 | April | Apr–May |
| Georgia | 123 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Connecticut | 89 | May | Apr–May |
| Arkansas | 59 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Indiana | 51 | April | Apr–May |
| Colorado | 49 | May | Apr–May |
| Delaware | 47 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Illinois | 45 | April | Apr–May |
| Kentucky | 44 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Idaho | 40 | April | Apr–May |
| Alabama | 39 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Rhode Island | 39 | May | May–May |
| West Virginia | 39 | April | Apr–Apr |
| South Carolina | 38 | March | Mar–Apr |
| District of Columbia | 35 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Missouri | 25 | April | Apr–Apr |
| New Hampshire | 24 | May | May–May |
| Vermont | 19 | May | May–May |
| Oklahoma | 17 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Wisconsin | 9 | May | May–May |
| Maine | 6 | May | May–May |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (mustard family)
Garlic Mustard
Dame's Rocket
Cut-Leaved Toothwort
Milkmaids
Hairy Bittercress
Shepherd's-Purse
Western Wallflower
Wild radish
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Annual Honesty?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from April to May.
Where is Annual Honesty most often seen?
The most observations come from North Carolina, Washington, California.