£0.89
Ruta graveolens is a hardy perennial with strongly aromatic evergreen bush with yellow flowers. Finely chopped leaves can be added to sandwiches and salads. Height 40-60cm.
Common rue is a herb of many connotations. It’s also known as herb of grace, or herby grass, from its use in the early Roman Catholic Church to sprinkle holy water and wash away sins. (Hyssop was the herb of choice in the Middle Ages, but rue was also used, perhaps because of its long-standing reputation as a disinfectant.) The custom derived from a Roman ceremony (using a laurel branch) to purify weapons and standards following a battle.
Rue is associated with sorrow, regret and compassion only in the English language. When the Romans introduced the rue herb plant to England, they called it by its Latin name (now the generic name), Ruta. When Anglicized and shortened to “rue,” the name sounded just like the word meaning “sorrow,” but that word comes from an Old English word, hreow. (Some believe that the word Ruta comes from a Greek word meaning “to set free.”)
The specific name, graveolens, is Latin for “having a strong or offensive smell”. Whether rue’s odor is either strong or offensive is open to debate; usually, it’s described as “musty.” Ruta is the genus belonging to the family Rutaceae, members of which include aromatic citrus trees as well as gas plant (Dictamnus albus), a lovely white- or pink-flowered perennial.
Approximately 1g Seeds
In stock
Sowing & Growing
Sow late winter/late spring and late summer/autumn. Surface sow at 1.5mm deep in pots or trays containing good seed compost. Do not cover the seed as they need light for germination. Make sure the compost is moist but not wet and seal inside a polythene bag until germination which usually takes 5 to 21 days at 20C. Transplant the indoor seedlings when large enough to handle into pots and grow on. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Their ideal position would be in full sun, with a fertile soil that is not too wet. Space 30cm, water regularly until mature.
Prune in spring or after flowering to encourage bushiness. It self-seeds easily when happy, so deadhead it if you don’t want a lot more rue. It is perennial, but mulch in winter in very cold areas. Once it gets going, you can propagate it by cutting off the tips of branches and rooting them. Root rot may occur, particularly in poorly drained soils. Wear long sleeves and gloves when pruning or handling the foliage.
| Packet Size | Approximately 1g Seeds |
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