Boar’s rue, or staffwort, is a traditional medicinal herb from the composite family (Asteraceae). In the hectic fast-food era largely banned from the herbal kitchen, but the versatile medicinal and spice plant found enthusiastic use even in ancient times. In the age of eco-boom and return to nature, its tried and tested, health-promoting effects make it once again a potent useful plant for the home rock garden and a newly discovered food ingredient on the menu.
Occurrence and cultivation of rue
Extremely hardy and drought-resistant, boar’s rue is a widespread and cultivated garden plant that is increasingly making its comeback as an ornamental plant in German rock gardens, perennial beds and hedges. Boar’s rue, botanical name Artemisia abrotanum, is a perennial herbaceous plant with light green, delicately feathery foliage. It has thick, woody roots and branched stems with tubular inflorescences. Between 50 and 130 centimeters of growth height can reach the rue. It appreciates sunny places and calcareous soils. The flowering period is from late summer to autumn. Its original habitat was Eastern and Southern Europe. In Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and in large parts of the Caucasus, the rue is still native in many wild forms and is widely cultivated. Extremely hardy and drought-resistant, rue is a widespread and cultivated garden plant that is increasingly making a comeback as an ornamental plant in German rock gardens, perennial beds and hedges. The distinctive aromatic scent also drives away unwanted parasites and garden pests. Dried rowan shoots keep moths away from the living environment.
Effect and application
There are three cultivated types of perennial, bushy-growing mountain rue: the tart-fresh lemon rue (Artemisia abrotanum citrina), the camphor rue (Artemisia camphorata) with a bitter-spicy taste, and the fruity-aromatic Coca-Cola plant (Artemisia abrotanum var. maritima). All cultivated types contain valuable essential oils, the antifouling alkaloid abrotanin, and stimulating bitter and tannic substances. Boar’s rue oil is rich in alkaloids and flavonoids, such as abrotine, rutin and coumarin. The glycoside rutin, an organic chemical compound, is responsible for the bitter taste, along with the wormwood ingredient absinthin. The bitter compounds exert appetizing and digestive effects. The versatile and robust garden herb also has antibacterial, antispasmodic and sedative effects. Boar’s-wort preparations increase the body’s defenses and develop diuretic and diaphoretic properties. Prepared as a tincture, infusion or tea drink, the medicinal plant develops health-promoting, soothing properties for coughs and bronchitis, menstrual cramps, fever, bladder and kidney weakness, difficulty falling asleep and back pain. It has also been medically proven to have a positive effect on nervous stomach disorders. The vernacular gave many names to the boar’s rue: Stabwurz, Garde Robe, lemon herb, Aberraute, boar’s rice, Gartenheil, pastor’s herb or maiden’s sorrow are the best known. Related to wormwood and mugwort, it was also popularly called tender mugwort. In pharmaceutical terms, the herb is called Herba Abrotani. The intensely citrus-scented ethnobotanical was already used in ancient times as a room freshener and as a gall and liver remedy. From the 9th century, cultivated cultivation in monastery gardens and the specific use as a remedy for jaundice and respiratory distress occurred. Nicholas Culpeper, an English physician and pharmacist of the 17th century, recommended at that time the ash of the rue mixed with old salad oil as a proven remedy against baldness. Its use as an aphrodisiac in the Middle Ages has also been handed down: if a young man stuck a few sprigs of rue under his sweetheart’s apron string, he could be sure of her superstitious “magical” love for at least a few years. The spicy-aromatic scent of the branches of the pastor’s herb – discreetly hidden in the prayer booklet – also effectively helped against unwanted dozing off during overlong church sermons.
Significance for health, treatment and prevention.
The bitter-aromatic semi-shrubs are commonly found Mediterranean plants in the Mediterranean herb garden.As a time-honored remedy of homeopathic medicine, the boar’s rue is a popular and long-appreciated medicinal and aromatic herb, especially in southern regions. Due to its vermifuge properties, the cultivated plant is also found in veterinary homeopathy. Today, the healthy medicinal herb is available as a convenient ready-to-use preparation for dietary supplementation in pharmacies, health food stores and natural food suppliers. If you want to prepare a wholesome and tasty tea drink yourself, you should use rowan leaves. Herb-fresh and aromatic tastes a tea infusion from the leaves of the lemon herb. One to two teaspoons are sufficient for this purpose. The tea should brew between five and ten minutes, depending on personal taste preference. Before rue disappeared completely from the menu in this country, it was used as a versatile kitchen herb. Extremely popular was its use as a seasoning plant in dried form to refine sumptuous meat dishes. The tender green fresh leaves and young shoot tips are also excellent for decorative garnishing of dishes. The special aroma and the proven positive effects on the intestinal flora and the digestive system make rue a modern and healthy addition to parsley, wild garlic, cress and basil. Whether preparations with lemon rue, camphor rue or Coca-Cola plant – caution is advised with the dosage! Garden rue should always be prepared fresh – in case of overdose, the food tastes intensely bitter and becomes inedible. It is possible to freeze fresh leaves as well as to tie and dry small bunches for seasoning purposes. As a traditional edible ingredient in iced tea mixes, salads, dressings, dips or cottage cheese dishes, the boar’s rue has proven itself. Even in the gourmet-pampered haute cuisine, the long-forgotten seasoning herb – sparingly dosed – increasingly finds its way.
