Alchimiaweb.com presents Rocalba Rue seeds, an ornamental and aromatic plant with an intense, spicy and bitter flavour. It can grow well in open ground or in pots on a terrace or balcony.
Rocalba rue, a rustic and undemanding plant with yellow flowers
Rue (Ruta graveolens) is a fairly ramified perennial sub-shrub plant belonging to the Rutaceae family. It is native to southern Europe but is also found in countries such as Ethiopia, Paraguay, Peru and Chile where it is used for aromatic or mystical/superstitious purposes.
This plant can grow up to 60cm, developing many woody stems providing a bushy appearance. The leaves are very small, rounded (bi or tripinnate) and distributed along all the stems. The flowers are yellow, colouring the whole plant in this colour during spring and summer.
It is a very rustic plant resistant to heat, drought and dry and poor soils. It is ideal to provide a quality substrate, with good drainage and a supply of compost or worm humus. It requires at least 6 hours of direct sunlight, and doesn't require much watering when the plant is fully developed.
Rocalba rue, with a bitter and spicy aroma, ideal as a condiment
The seeds are germinated in spring in a seedbed or small pot. A few seeds are scattered in the substrate without covering them with soil as they need light and a warm temperature of at least 20°C. The substrate should be kept with constant humidity.
It takes 1-4 weeks for the seedlings to sprout under good conditions. Once they have reached a significant size and the spring frosts are over, they can be transplanted to a well sunny spot with a 50cm x 30cm planting frame.
The flowering takes place in the second year summer, but leaves and stems can be harvested all year round to be used for cooking. It offers an intense aroma with bitter and spicy nuances. The leaves and stems can be dried to keep them longer. In case of excess humidity it can be important to prevent a fungal infection and treat them if necessary with an antifungal product.
Rocalba Rue info:
- Sachet: 0.5g seeds
- Good results in both open ground and pots
- Germination: spring in seedbed
- Planting frame: 50cm x 30cm
- Up to 60cm
- Requires a warm and sunny climate
- Requires a lot of light, with 6-8h of direct sunlight
- Withstands drought and poor substrates
- Adapts well to all kinds of substrates, although it prefers light and calcareous soils
- Harvest: leaves and stems all year round
