RUTA GRAVEOLENS: DESCRIPTION, HABITAT, PROPERTIES, CARE - BIOLOGY - 2025

Ruta graveolens L. is a small shrub belonging to the Rutaceae family. It is found in stony places, bushes, dry soils or gardens and grows spontaneously or cultivated.

It is native to the Mediterranean (North Africa and southern Europe) and Asia, although it is also cultivated in other regions of Europe and America, its distribution being quite cosmopolitan. Depending on the region, it has various names, being known as rue, common rue, besaca, heavy-smelling rue, garden rue, bitter, arruda.

Ruta graveolens L. Plant

Source: H. Zell

Regarding its properties, rue is credited with being antiparasitic, antispasmodic, rubefacient, sudorific, hypotensive, allelopathic, sedative, cytotoxic, vasoprotective and venotonic. Its most used parts are the leaves, stems and flowers.

Flor de Ruta graveolens L.

Source: HernandoJoseAJ

Description

Habit

It is a shrubby, perennial, resistant species that measures from 50 to 100 cm in height, with pivoting roots, woody and erect cylindrical stems. Its structure is woody at the base and its upper branches are herbaceous.

Cylindrical and erect stems of Ruta graveolens L.

Source: Franz Xaver

Leaves

In these plants the leaves are inserted in the stem at different levels and in a solitary way, which indicates that they are alternate. They are bluish green in color and their lateral portions are elongated, while the terminal portion is oval.

In the leaves are the translucent glands with essential oil, which emit the strong smell that characterizes this species.

Rue leaves. Source: Dinkum

flowers

Rue has yellow or yellow-green flowers that are 8 to 10 mm in diameter. They are grouped in umbels, which means that they are inserted at the same point on its axis, resembling the rods of an umbrella. They make their appearance between spring and summer.

As for its central flower, it is formed by 5 petals and 5 sepals, while the others by 4 petals and 4 sepals, all the sepals are concave and toothed.

Rue flower

Source: © 2016 Jee & Rani Nature Photography (License: CC BY-SA 4.0)

Fruit

They are rounded capsule type 7 to 9 cm wide and contain black kidney-shaped seeds.

Capsule-like fruit of the rue plant. Source: Kurt Stüber

Taxonomy

Ruta graveolens L., is also known as ruda, ruda hortense (Spanish), arruda (Portuguese), herb of grace or Common rue (English), rue or péganion or herbe de grâce (French), ruta, rua or aruga amara (Italian), raute (German).

The taxonomic classification for this species is as follows:

Kingdom: Plantae.

Phylum: Tracheophyta.

Class: Magnoliopsida.

Order: Sapindales.

Rutaceae family.

Genre: Route.

Species: Ruta graveolens L.

Capsule and seeds of the rue plant. Source: Muséum de Toulouse

Habitat and distribution

Plants of this species can be found in the wild or cultivated. Wild rue thrives in stony areas, dry, sunny and arid places, bushes, in abandoned agricultural crops, on roadsides and in pastures. The cultivated rue can be raised in orchards or gardens, at altitudes between 1,500 and 2,400 meters above sea level.

This species has a cosmopolitan distribution, and is reported in the following places:

Greece, Albania, Balearic Islands, Bulgaria, France, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Crimea, Georgia, Austria, Corsica, Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Canary Islands, Algeria, Central Europe Russia, Taiwan, Peru, Venezuela, Mexico, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, South Africa, China, Burma, Nepal, USA and Canada.

Seeds of Ruta graveolens L.

Source: Muséum de Toulouse

Properties

To Ruta graveolens L., antispasmodic, sudorific, antiparasitic, rubefacient, hypotensive, allelopathic, sedative, cytotoxic, diuretic, emmenagogue, antiseptic, vermifuge, vasoprotective and venotonic properties are attributed. In addition to possessing insecticidal, repellent, nematicidal and fungicidal properties.

Thanks to its properties, it is used as a medicinal plant to calm the nerves, relieve menstrual cramps, calm hysteria, digestive discomfort, vertigo, headaches, eliminate parasites present in the body, to treat circulation problems, as well as in external use to treat vitiligo, scabies, earache or rheumatism, among other diseases.

Rue tea. Source: Michel Maccagnan

Despite its great utility, most of the studies carried out with this plant coincide in taking care of the dose used of the plant, since it exceeds the recommended values, it can cause intoxication or produce headache, stomach pain, diarrhea., vomiting, miscarriage, hemorrhage, and skin lesions such as phototoxic burns.

However, this plant is also used in the agricultural field due to its insecticidal and repellent properties, in the management of pests such as grasshoppers, ants, cutting insects and aphids. Also as a nematicide, fungicide and natural soil disinfectant.

Chemical components of

There are several components, among which are: rutinol, quercitol, malic acid, dulcitol, pinene, cineole, salicylic acid, limonene, furocoumarin and methyl salicylate.

Care

The needs or care of Ruta graveolens L. are basic, however the following should be taken into account:

Temperature

This species does not tolerate excessively low temperatures, since it develops better in areas with warm climates. It grows in temperatures between 5 and 58 ° C.

Light

It is important that it receives plenty of natural light, but not directly, since too much sun could burn its leaves and stems.

Floor

The gravelly or stony soils, well drained, dry, limestone or siliceous and light are the most recommended for its good development, since in the presence of these, the plant produces more and healthier flowers.

Likewise, it is pertinent to bear in mind that this plant does not tolerate compact soils so it is necessary that they are well drained. Sometimes a padding is done in order to keep the soil moist.

Rue cultivation. Source: Dat doris

land

The following conditions are recommended:

- In a vase or pot: use a mixture of substrate with perlite or similar, which can be 30 or 40% clay.

- In the garden: neutral or alkaline pH. A 50 cm x 50 cm planting hole should be made, a 5 cm layer of fine gravel or similar should be placed, and then finished filling with the substrate mixture.

fertilizer

Sometimes organic or natural compost can be added, from the beginning of spring to the end of summer.

You can use liquid fertilizers (especially for plants in vases or pots) as well as granular or powder fertilizers.

As for the use of fertilizer, it is indicated to apply it once a month in spring and summer.

It should be noted that there are cases of fertilization using manure or compost, 2 bags of potassium sulfate and 3 bags of triple calcium superphosphate per hectare. This after the sowing has been done.

Irrigation

The best thing to do for this plant is to water it twice a week in moderation, without leaving it exposed to drought.

Cultural work

These tasks consist of protecting the crop by eliminating or reducing weeds, by weeding and hilling.

Pruning

This should be done during the winter and no more than 10 cm from the ground. This helps to stimulate the compact and renewing growth of the plant and prevents an exaggerated elongation of the plant. The usual thing is to do the pruning every two years, after flowering.

In many gardens, the plant is usually trimmed in different ways for decoration.

Harvest

It is important to bear in mind that the collection will also depend on the part of the plant that is required to be used.

Rue is richer in active ingredients before flowering, when flower buds have formed but their flowers have not opened. This is the right time to collect its leaves and stems, since its components are concentrated in the sap.

After collecting the leaves, it is necessary to leave them in a cool place and then store them in dry containers in the shade. The flowers should be collected at the beginning of flowering, in the bud stage. The harvest is cut 12 to 15 cm above the ground.

Diseases

Rue, despite being a resistant plant, the following diseases can occur in its cultivation:

- Burning of leaves and stem

Pathogenic agent

Cladosporium sp.

Cladosporium sp.

Source: Author; Keisotyo

Symptoms

This disease is characterized by the drying of the terminal shoots and areas along the stem, these symptoms appear light brown.

Management and control

It is pertinent to eliminate all the shoots affected by this fungus, control the growth of the weeds, use planting distances and eliminate harvest residues. There are reports that indicate the use of protectant at the beginning of the disease, to reduce the damage.

- Stem and leaf drying

Pathogenic agent

Phoma sp.

Symptoms

This fungus mainly attacks young leaves and shoots, causing dark spots with irregular edges of light yellow color. Damages such as descending necrotization and the appearance of black dots (fungus structures) can also be found on the branches.

Management and control

Ideally, prune affected branches and shoots, as well as plant healthy material. For the control, the live barrier technique is widely used, which reduces the risk of this fungus attack.

There are also reports of leaf blight attack by the fungus Phoma sp. and cinderella caused by the fungus Oidium sp.

Whitefly larva. Source: Anatoly Mikhaltsov

In the case of Oidium sp., Its control can be carried out with applications based on sulfur products, on cool days and thus avoid burning and more serious damage to the leaf blade of the plant.

It is important to note that, in addition to diseases caused by these fungi, the Ruta graveolens L. species is also attacked by pests such as whiteflies, mites and defoliators, almost always occurring when there is a lack of irrigation.

White fly. Source: Pablo Oliveri (Pro Huerta)

References

1. Alarcón J. 2011. Aromatic and medicinal plants. Important diseases and their therapeutic uses. Measurements for the winter season. Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario (ICA). Bogota DC. Colombia. 2011.
2. Catalog of Life: 2019 Annual Checklist. 2019. Ruta graveolens L. Taken from: catalogueoflife.org
3. Flora of North America. 2019. Ruta graveolens L. Taken from: efloras.org
4. Gallegos-Zurita M. 2016. Medicinal plants: the main alternative for health care, in the rural population of Babahoyo, Ecuador. Babahoyo Technical University, Faculty of Medicine. Ecuador. Vol. 77, 4: 327-332.
5. Mora L. and Falquez F. 2005. Establishment of a collection of tropical medicinal species in the Quevedo area. Degree thesis to qualify for the title of Forest Engineer. Quevedo State Technical University, Faculty of Environmental Sciences. Ecuador. 2005.
6. Naveda G. 2010. Establishment of a process for obtaining rue extract (Ruda Graveolens), with a high content of polyphenols. Project prior to obtaining the title of agro-industrial engineer. National Polytechnic School, Faculty of Chemical and Agroindustrial Engineering, Quito. 2010.
7. Romero O. and Latorre A. 2003. Approach to the floristic catalog of the Genal River Valley (Serranía de Ronda, Málaga, Spain). In Annual Biology. Publications Service of the University of Murcia. 25: 113-161.