Plant Witchery: Discover the Sacred Language, Wisdom, and Magic of 200 Plants - Juliet Diaz 2020

Rue Ruta graveolens
A Compendium of Plants

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES

protection

Rue is Queen of the Herbs—a fragrant evergreen that grows wild in fields all over North America and Europe, though she is native to the Mediterranean. She blooms in tiny yellow flowers that can make the world seem as though it is made of sunshine.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Rue is often cultivated for medicinal uses, as a condiment, and sometimes as an insect repellent. She can aid in menstrual problems and stimulate the uterus. Used topically, she can treat arthritis, sprains, swollen skin, toothaches, headaches, tumors, and warts. She’s an antifungal and can also repel lice. Be careful when working with her, though, as when your skin is covered with rue, exposure to the Sun can cause sunburns. Ingesting too much can cause gastric distress and can even be fatal.

MAGICAL PROPERTIES

Rue protects you from any outside influences that may be causing you harm and leading you to do things you don’t actually wish to do. Rue can help you detach from these influences, so you can return to the heart of who you are. Rue further protects you from hexes, curses, and evil forces. Her somewhat “stinky” smell is said to ward off all malicious entities.

PLANT WISDOM

Rue is a protectress, and she will not only protect you from the outside world, she will also protect you from yourself. If you want to work on releasing bad habits, self-harm, self-sabotage, or anything like that, connect with rue, and allow her to reflect back to you all the things you may have neglected or hidden away—all those wonderful qualities about yourself that, when forgotten, lead to not caring for yourself as you deserve. Meeting rue in a dream is pretty Magical—the sense of peace she brings is something I can’t really express. It’s almost like meditating.