It’s tax day again, meaning that many of us have money on our minds. Did you know that from 1918 to 1954, March 15 used to be tax day? In 1954 the IRS moved it to its current date of April 15th. Because the tax covered more of the middle class, the IRS needed to issue more refunds. Pushing back the date allowed the Feds to hang on your money longer (http://time.com/money/4258979/ides-of-march-tax-day/).
If you have the tax day blues, here are two “money plants” that might brighten your spirits though they won’t fatten your wallet.
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| Pachira "Lucky Money Tree", photo courtesy eastern leaf.com |
Pachira money tree is a plant commonly used in Feng Shui and also believed to bring the grower good luck. Interestingly, money trees are often braided together, but in order for the “luck” to work, you’ll need to have three to five braided plants, steering clear of the unlucky number four.
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| Lunaria annua, photo courtesy Missouri Botanical Garden |
Lunaria annua, commonly called silver dollar, dollar plant, money plant, and lunaria, is a tall, hairy-stemmed biennial that is native to southeastern Europe and western Asia. It has been widely planted in North America, and over time has escaped gardens and naturalized (think invasive) in many parts of the US and southern Canada. Flowers give way in mid-summer to sprays of flattened, paper-thin, silver-dollar sized fruit which become translucent with maturity. As the common name suggests, the fruits are the most noteworthy ornamental feature of this plant.
Don't despair about tax day, because for gardeners it signals that spring really has arrived and summer can't be far away.