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Rue, considered an unsafe herb by todays standards, is a plant that reaches a height of three feet. It has yellow flowers about one-half inch wide with toothed petals that bloom from June to August. Its blue-green leaves about three to five inches long, submit a pungent odor caused from glands that contain a volatile oil. Although native to southern Europe and northern Africa, you can find rue growing in fields and roadsides in America.
Derived from the Greek word “reuo”, which means “to set free”, rue was used by them to stimulate the nervous and uterine systems. The Roman naturalist Pliny said that painters and carvers would ingest rue to help improve their eyesight. It was also used as an antidote for poisons.
Externally rue has been used to treat insect bites, gout, rheumatism, and sciatica. Hysteria, worms, gas pains, and colic have been treated with the internal use of rue. In the seventeenth century it was used to help ward off the plague and the juice of rue was used to help ear aches. In the Middle Ages rue was used to ward off evils spirits and spells from witches. Small bushes of rue were used by early Christian priests to sprinkle holy water before a Roman Catholic mass.
Although rue has a long history of medical properties, today it is rarely used except in some folk medicine to relieve gas pains. Too large of doses of rue can cause vomiting and convulsive twitching. It can cause fetus’ to abort in pregnant woman. The juice of this herb can cause redness of the skin and even blistering.
Because of its blue-green leaves, it is often planted in herb gardens, but history dictates that gardeners should be weary of planting it near sage, basil or cabbage. Its reputed to be beneficial to roses. Rue grows easily in gardens from cuttings and seeds can be started indoors in mid-winter. Rue can be grown straight in the garden of in pots.
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Author Bio Box: Agnes Farside
 http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/110407/agnes_farside.html
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