Rue (Ruta graveolens) is called the Herb of Grace.

It was a common herb believed to keep away witches, and that folk use evolved into the Catholic Church’s practice of dipping branches of rue into Holy water and sprinkling it over the heads of parishioners as a blessing, which earned it a common name for the plant of “herb of grace.”

Mother Earth Gardener

Rue is a fabulous addition to a Butterfly Garden. Last year, planted in a sunny spot in my garden beds, they grew and thrived, hosting many eggs and caterpillars of Black Swallowtail Butterflies.

I didn’t cut them back in the Autumn. In Spring, they began to grow at the tips of rather leggy stems and were soon loaded with buds, and afterwards bloomed a brilliant yellow flower. They have a unique appearance, rather sticky in the center. This area is hard and forms into a rounded seedhead.

The foliage is a beautiful blue-green and presses perfectly. There is a caution for people with sensitive skin – Rue can cause phytophoto dermatitis following sun exposure in those susceptible to that condition.

Grow Rue in full to part sun in well-drained soil. This is a wonderful herb and is a great host plant for Black Swallowtails.

Rue is part of Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge.