What's The Rue About Rue?

Ruta graveolens is an upright lace leafed herb that grows to a height up to three feet. It's cool blue green foliage is a delight in a garden of soft grays and harsh greens. It also grows in a partially shady location.

Dew water that collects in Rue's cup like foliage was the original "holy water".

Rue has a coconut like flavor to the leaves and is used in soups and salads according to herbal lore. Oil from Rue is used to flavor cookies and other baked goods.

Rue's medicinal qualities have all but been forgotten. And possibly forgotten for good reason. Used with rosemary and southernwood as a bouquet hanging around the necks of judges the combination is said to have protected judges from typhoid.

Rue has been mentioned in some publications as highly poisonous and even deadly. Other publications give this trait hardly a mention. The fact that Rue is even mentioned as possibly poisonous in some publications and not even mentioned so in others is reason enough to jump off the medicinal herb bandwagon.

Let's face it. We are slipping into the dark ages again thanks to "dietary supplements" that allow for snake oil salesman to pedal their wares on late night TV with artificial immunity. Herbs are often at the forefront of the modern day medicine show quackery.

I feel it's time to forget about Mr. Midnight Medicine Man and use herbs as they are meant to be used in todays' world: on and in food. If there are any healthy benefits within these over educated weeds let their benefits show themselves as part our three day meal repertoire and not in the medicine cabinet.

WKZE Garden Show

Listen in this weekend to "Everybody's Talking" garden show where I am special guset with Sally Spillane talking about the greening of the garden.

The Other Chamomile

German Chamomile gets all the press with it's flowers used for teas as a calming night time sip. In fact Celestial Seasons makes a tea called "Sleepy Time" which is loaded with dried Chamomile blossoms.

German Chamomile however is an annual. It does self sow quite easily but if you are staying up late at night drying it's flowers for its' fall asleep tea you will have nothing left to self sow.

Roman Chamomile on the other hand is a perennial variety. With fragrant finely cut foliage it does resemble it's Bavarian cousin. However Roman Chamomile has more uses for its' plant parts. Leaves of Roman Chamomile can not only be used in teas but in potpourri, and hair rinses.

Roman Chamomile spreads by creeping stems called stolons. This makes Roman Chamomile an excellent free flowering ground cover that rapidly crowds out weeds in the garden. Plant between paving stones for a fragrant flowering walk way or a replacement for the high maintenance lawn!

Roman Chamomile blooms in summer with white flowers and yellow centers. This hardy perennial likes well drained soil in a sunny locale and grows 9 inches tall.