Honey bees
Nectar value
Medium
Pollen value
Medium
Pollinator plant
Rue, Common rue, Herb of Grace, Garden Rue
Ruta graveolens
Linked agroforestry plant data
Pollinator recipe
Bee value
Who this plant supports
Agroforestry database
Complete plant information
Structure
- Vegetation layer
- Herbaceous
- Size
- Small
- Dimensions
- 0.50 m high × 0.50 m wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
Site conditions
- USDA hardiness
- 4-10
- Moisture
- Moist, Well-drained
- Soil
- Sandy, Loamy, Clay
- pH
- Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
- Light
- Partial shade, Sun
Uses
- Edible parts
- Leaves, Seasoning, Tea
- Functions
- Dye, Essential oil, Repellent, Ground cover, Fragrant
- Edibility
- 1 out of 5
- Medicinal value
- 3 out of 5
Leaves can be eaten raw or used as a flavoring. Although they are sometimes included in salads, they are strongly aromatic and mildly toxic, so they should only be used in small amounts. The taste is intense and bitter. The leaves contain rutin, which is beneficial for circulation. They should be handled with care due to their toxicity; see the section on toxicity below. The leaves can also be used to make tea.