A herb which increases milk production in lactating mammals, goats rue is a hardy perennial with a combination of white, pink and/or mauve flowers in summer. 9x9cm pot (8cm depth)
Description
- Easy to grow
- Hardy perennial
- Spreads easily
- Loved by bees
A pretty plant native to Europe and Western Asia, it can be found growing wild in moisture retentive soils. It spreads very well and is better contained in a pot.
Plant Care
- Height: 60-100cm
- Type: Hardy
- Aspect: Sun
- Soil: Any/alkaline
- Flower colour: Pink/Purple
- Flowering period: June- August
The pink, white and mauve flowers of goats rue can be seen on the sides of many motorway embankment s and slip roads in the South East of the UK. It loves the rich heavy clay loams in this area and uses its strong rhizomes to colonise large areas – for this reason it is worth growing this vigorous herb in a large pot if you don’t have the space for it to spread. It is a hardy herb that dies down underground during the winter months and pops up again in spring.
Usage
Goat’s rue is a galactagogue – which means it is a herb that increases the flow of milk in lactating mammals. It can be used fresh but the flowering stems can be cut and dried to use throughout the year by infusing in hot water to make a tea.
The juice from the goats rue has the ability to clot milk and it has in the past been used in cheese making. The flowers produce pollen for bees and sometimes nectar depending on soil conditions.