During the Middle Ages, Europeans believed in the magical powers of this medicinal herb and it was often placed in doorways to keep evil spirits away. Because of the rue plant's strong smell, it was also used to thwart plagues and contagious disease.
Its antispasmodic and emmenagogic properties are actually what make Rue a valuable medicinal herb. Used to cure cramps and encourage menstruation, the Rue plant is a powerful herb that should not be handled by pregnant women. Today, Rue is still considered a special herb in Lithuanian culture, and is given to couples on their wedding day to provide clarity to see beauty in their marriage.
The herb's strong aromatic qualities make a great deterrent to most garden pests including deer, rabbits and slugs and its beautiful yellow flowers are a magnet for butterflies. Rue is drought resistant and acts as an insect repellent, so it makes a great garden companion. If you have sensitive skin be wary of planting Rue near walkways or where you may come into contact easily with it. In some cases people have developed blisters and welts from brushing against or handling fresh Rue, as the combination of essential oils and UV rays can cause Photodermititis.
Rue and Romance Although most of our customers buy the Rue herb for its culinary value, we have had more than one frantic phone call over the past few years:. Lucky for them, we grow rue commercially for a number of Botanicas across the country, so we've usually go some on hand. We've been known to ship just a few sprigs from our own gardens.
Wedding are important! The one thing we've noticed, since we are not shy and are always interested in our customer's needs, it tends to be Eastern Europeans, more specifically Lithuanians, who are in need of this very important herb. So, we did a little research of our own: According to The Baltic Times,"at the beginning of the 20th century, one of the country's most iconic and widely used symbols was rue. Rue - a perennial plant with a strong, heavy odor and bitter taste 's could be found in almost every Lithuanian garden.
Rich with folklore and symbolism, the flower was widely seen as the embodiment of Lithuanian culture. Rue has abortive properties that may result in hemorrhaging and miscarriages, so it should not be ingested by pregnant women. Wear protective gloves when handling rue plants. The plant juices contain furanocoumarins, which sensitizes the skin to light and can cause dermatitis or blisters. Dry rue can also produce side effects, but they tend to be milder than those caused by fresh rue.
In doses of this size, fresh rue can cause severe kidney and liver damage as well. Renee Miller began writing professionally in , contributing to websites and the "Community Press" newspaper. She is co-founder of On Fiction Writing, a website for writers.
Miller holds a diploma in social services from Clarke College in Belleville, Ontario. What Are Rue Plants Used for? Home Guides Garden Pest Control. By Renee Miller Updated December 15, Need help finding something? Call or email us at info originalbotanica. All Rights Reserved. This site was created by Lighthaus Design.
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