Rue - Herb of the Week

Ever heard of a March hare?  It is especially unlucky to meet a hare when setting out on a journey. Hares acting oddly might be shape-shifters or "were-hares." These dangerous hares can only be dispatched by a silver bullet, or a bullet dipped in rue or rowan tea.

So I chose Rue as Herb of the week

The word “rue” means “to regret,” and the herb of the same name is associated with regret, sadness and bitterness in biblical writings and literature. Rue (Ruta graveolens) is a bitter herb native to the Mediterranean and Southern Europe. It has evergreen bluish-green leaves that grow in groups of six or seven off the semi-woody branches. The mature plant reaches about 2 1/2 feet tall. The leaves smell bitter and medicinal when cut or crushed. Rue produces many small four-pedaled flowers in mid- to late-summer. The foliage has an almost lacy look to it, although the leaf sections are not thin and pointy but rounded.

To Grow

Rue is easy to grow. The tiny seeds, if strewn onto a garden plot or a container of potting soil and covered with a light sprinkling of soil and moistened, will sprout in a week or so. Tiny light green seedlings look delicate, but are sturdy and will grow quickly into a foot-tall plant. Pinching the tops will make them grow bushier. Rue will grow well outdoors in poor or rich soil, with little attention. Inside as a houseplant, rue needs regular watering and bright light to grow well. During mid-summer, it will produce tiny yellow flowers at the tops of the plants, which turn into hard green seed-heads that dry into brown husks and open to reveal and drop many tiny black seeds.

To Use

Rue is called “herb of grace” for its varied culinary and medicinal uses, some associated with improving or restoring eyesight. I personally use it as an eyewash by snipping a few fresh green leaves and soaking them in distilled or purified water overnight.

Used as eye drops, rue water refreshes red, dry eyes and irritated eyes that have been over-worked in front of a computer screen. It was used in ancient times as an antidote for poisons and for protection from evil. In Italy, it is eaten in salads and used to make the alcoholic drink grappa all ruta. It can be simmered in coffee as they do in Ethiopia to add a lemony flavor. Small snippets of fresh rue can be added to meat and egg dishes during cooking. Dried rue repels insects such as fleas and lice and is good to tuck into pet bedding.

This herb provides a sharp, spicy, and mildly bitter flavor so it becomes difficult to match it with many foods but is found as a seasoning for some salads as well as an additive for some wines or spirits. In addition it is also an ingredient used in some sausage meats served in the Middle East, such as merguez. In times past, Rue was believed to have many medicinal qualities due to the alkaloids, flavonoids and the volatile oil it contained. However, medical experts now believe that there are too many risks with the use of this herb and thus urge caution when consuming it, especially in large quantities. It is considered to be a poisonous plant.