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Rutaceae FAMILY

Ruta montana

Ruta montana

Edibility
1/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

Although no records of toxicity have been seen for this species the following notes apply to at least one other member of the genus so some caution is advised. All parts of this plant are poisonous in large quantities[1]. It should not be used at all by pregnant women since it can induce abortions[2]. The sap contains furanocoumarins, sensitizing the skin to light and causing blistering or dermatitis in sensitive people[3].

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Shrub
Growth—

Succeeds in any good open soil[4]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[3].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[3], it can also be sown in early to mid spring in a cold frame[5, 6]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of young shoots in late spring[4]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame[3]. Very easy[PFAF]. Layering in early summer. Old plants often self-layer[3]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Ruta+montana>

Pollinators

Insects

References

  1. [1]Poisonous Plants. — Stary. F. · Hamlyn · 1983 · ISBN 0-600-35666-3 ↩︎Not very comprehensive, but easy reading.
  2. [2]The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism. — Mills. S. Y. ↩︎An excellent small herbal.
  3. [3]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  4. [4]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  5. [5]Complete Guide to Herbs. — Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. · Rodale Press · 1979 · ISBN 0-87857-262-7 ↩︎A good herbal.
  6. [6]The Vegetable Garden. — Vilmorin. A. · Ten Speed Press · ISBN 0-89815-041-8 ↩︎A reprint of a nineteenth century classic, giving details of vegetable varieties. Not really that informative though.
  7. [7]Flora Europaea — ? · Cambridge University Press · 1964 · ISBN - ↩︎An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
  8. [8]Plants for Human Consumption. — Kunkel. G. · Koeltz Scientific Books · 1984 · ISBN 3874292169 ↩︎An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
  9. [9]Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. — Facciola. S. · Kampong Publications · 1990 · ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 ↩︎Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
  10. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎