Plants and People Project

Early Meadowrue - Thalictrum dioicum

The name rue comes from the Greek meaning two household. Male amn female flowers grow on separate plants.

Nicknamed Quicksilver weed

Blooms in the early spring as the leaves emerge on the trees.

Meadow Rue - "Blackfoot Indian girls used to tie the flower or seed bunches in their hair. Girls felt it was a great love medicine, capturing the first male who saw them. There are several other tribes of Amerindians who also felt meadow rue was a love potion. It was given to a quarrelling couple. The Ojibwa and Potowatomi, for example, would secretly placed the seeds in the couple s food to overcome the quarrelling. " Wild Rose College and Wholistic Clinic

Meadow rues provide an airy texture foliage in the garden. It is valued by gardeners becasue its foliage contrasts with thick foliage plants, like hostas, in the shade garden.

Identification and other facts / More facts

Early Meadow Rue