Ruffly Rue

Ruta graveolens

This lovely little herb came to reside in my garden as a result of the Evergreen Garden Club's plant sale in 2006. It was a petite thing when I planted it last year, but it has grown to be a nice-sized and beautifully-shaped specimen in the herb garden this summer. Last year, though small, we had a couple of caterpillars take up residence on its leaves and munch happily away on them.

I love its bluish foliage, which reminds me of a jigsaw puzzle for some reason. I keep my hands off, however, because it's been known to cause severe irritation to some people in the form of painful blisters.

In the past, it has been used in Catholic masses as a component of holy water, earning it the name "Herb of Grace."

It's also been used extensively in a medicinal way, treating sciatica, headache, and neuralgia, just to name a few. It can cause kidney damage, however, so I think it's better left for the caterpillars.

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