One of the best perennial plants for our native Black Swallowtail butterflies! Attract them to your garden with Rue! Female butterflies can smell the plants from miles away and cute green and black caterpillars arrive mid-summer. Rue handles being eaten back very well and will regrow readily to feed more butterflies. Comes back year after year and stays as a compact bush only 1-2 feet tall and wide. Beautiful blue-green foliage with yellow flowers. Some culinary uses but do extensive research before consuming. Do not ever consume if pregnant.
Plant away from foot traffic as leaves may cause skin irritation in some people. Always use gloves when handling Rue plants and others in the carrot, milkweed, or nettle family.
Rue - Ruta gravenolens
Production Time
4 weeks
Plant Size
Approximate Sizing:
Plugs: 2-3" tall
2.5" Pots: 5-8" tall
3" Pots: 8-10" tall
Gallon: 12-16" tall
Plant Information
Light: Full Sun, Part Shade
Water: When surface of soil is dry. Most vegetable plants benefit from not wetting foliage to prevent disease.
Fertilizer: Organic or conventional. Use as directed on the package for leafy greens. Use 1.5x if using an all purpose brand for heavy feeders such as tomatoes and squash.