Rutagravolenslatin Name and Family

Rue

RutagravolensLatin name and Family

Botanical description

Location

Part used

Cultivation/Harvesting

History/Folklore/Taste/Energetics

Constituents

Actions

Traditional and current uses

Strengthens blood vessels

Lowers blood pressure

Recipes and Formulae

The beautiful Rue or Herb of Grace (Rutagraveolens) is a member of the Rutaceaefamily which also contains the citrus plants and the Zanthoxylum species (including Prickly Ash and Sichuan pepper) as well as Buch or Barosmabetulina. It is such a beautiful we plant with its green blue leaves and small yellow flowers andthere is also a variegated variety although ours proved too tender for the cold winter a couple of years ago. Although some seed suppliers say it is slow to germinate we had great success two years ago and it can also be propagated by cuttings.

The plant is strong medicine containing rutin which strengthens the blood vessels and treats thrombophlebitis, coumarins which thin the blood, alkaloids which are good for the nervous system and a volatile oil with ketones, terpenes, citronellol, cineol, furanocoumarins, and methyl salicylate.

Rue used to be used in small amounts as a flavouring herb included in salads, sausages (as a preservative, game stews, cream cheese, egg and fish dishes. Lesley Bremness suggests combining it with damsons and wine to make a delicious game sauces and says that the seeds were infused with lovage and mint as a marinade for game birds. Apparently Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo both accredited rue with improving their eyesight and creative inner vision and it does have a reputation for improving the eyesight, an eyewash being prepared from infused leaves. It was traditionally used as a nervine to treat agitated depression and had a reputation for treating epilepsy in small doses although large doses can cause agitation. Branches were used to sprinkle holy water . It was used as a strewing herb (to repel fleas, flies, vermin and microbes and keep the air fresh) and in 4 thieves vinegar used to protect against plague, attesting its antimicrobial action. The Greeks used it as a poison antidote and it has a reputation for treating snake bites, antidoting their venom. The leaf shape was used as inspiration for the design of the suit of clubs. It has a reputation as a uterine tonic and an emmenagogue for delayed periods due to lack of uterine muscle tone or pelvic congestion but should only be used at the end of the cycle and should not be used during pregnancy; indeed most practitioners have moved away from internal use of the herb due to its potential toxicity and care must be taken when handling the plant since the essential oil it contains can cause phototoxicity. It is a valuable herb to use externally for arthritis, muscle and joint pain, neuralgia and period pain. It was traditionally planted in the borders of herb gardens and is a beautiful plant to spend time with even if you do not feel drawn to eating or using it. If you decide to harvest it then the aerial parts are gathered in summer and the seeds a re picked when ripe.