Monticello Gardens

Common name: Rue

Family: Rutaceae (Rue)

Hardiness: USDA Zone 5

Life form: Herbaceous perennial

Usage: Ornamental

Comments: In spite of its curious smell, Rue was eaten in ancient times to preserve the eyesight, and was thought by some to bestow the inner vision called “second sight.” Also considered an antidote to poisons, it was established in American gardens by the Revolutionary War. Jefferson listed Rue among his “Objects for the Garden” in 1794, and seeds for the plant were offered by Jefferson’s gardening mentor and Philadelphia nurseryman Bernard McMahon in 1804. Rue is also known as Herb of Grace.