Goat’s Rue
Parts Usually Used
The plant
Description of Plant(s) and Culture
Goat’s rue is a perennial plant; the thick, spreading root system sends up a bushy growth consisting of many hollow, striated stems bearing alternate, odd-pinnate leaves with 6-8 pairs of ovate, entire leaflets which tend to fold together. The lilac to white flowers appear in spikes from June to September. Seeds are borne in long, erect pods. Another herb goes by the name of goat’s rue (Tephrosia virginiana).
It is also of the pea family. It is a silky-hairy perennial, 1-2 feet high, leaves pinnate; 17-29 leaflets. Flowers are bi-colored (yellow base, pink wings); blooms May to August. The seedpod is hairy. May cause contact dermatitis. Contains the insecticide rotenone. Seeds are toxic.
Where Found
Grows wild in southern Europe and western Asia and is cultivated in Europe and the United States.
Medicinal Properties
Diaphoretic, diuretic, galactagogue
Legends, Myths and Stories
An Old World plant.
Uses
Historically, herbalists administered the plant for fevers and intestinal worms, and traditional lore held that it could counter the bites of venomous animals. Preparations made from the dried plant were also used in attempts to stimulate milk production in nursing mothers. Additionally, traditional practitioners utilized the seeds with the intention of managing blood sugar levels and stimulating insulin.
Warning
Sheep have been poisoned by the fresh plant. Use only under medical supervision.
Bibliography
The Complete Medicinal Herbal , by Penelope Ody, Dorling Kindersley, Inc, 232 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, First American Edition, copyright 1993 Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants , by Steven Foster and James A. , Houghton Mifflin Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10000 The Herb Book , by John Lust, Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. copyright 1974. , 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023