The Chalepensis Route or Ruda macho belongs to the Rutáceas family and seems to be native to Europe. This is a plant that is grown for multiple reasons: ornamental, esoteric, medicinal and for its nutritional value as a condiment.
Features Chalepensis Route
The leaves of this plant are blue-green, bipinate and tripinate, of these there is a variety that is quite striking because the leaves are almost entirely blue (rue Jackman´s). The leaves of the Chalepensis route or male rue are larger, perennial if it is located in temperate regions and in areas with cold or icy climates, the leaves are deciduous.
The bush is quite leafy and compact, from this yellow flowers emerge on their narrow petals and the center of the flower is green. If conditions favor it, it grows up to 1 meter. The flowering of the rue occurs at the end of spring and in general, it is classified as a subshrub with a perennial character and with a rather pronounced perfume, which for most is not at all pleasant.
Care and cultivation
If you decide to plant it in your garden or pot, keep the following recommendations in mind:
As for the sunlight, you can place it in direct sunlight or in semi-shade. It needs to be sheltered if you are in regions where there are frosts or very cold winds. Progresses spontaneously in calcareous and poor soilstherefore it will take root without problems in your garden even if the substrate is poor. You will certainly have a compact, ornamental route.
You should also add organic matter or compost to the substrate, to make it stronger and healthier. Watering must be frequent without falling into excessit is recommended at least twice a week. Keep in mind that if you do not water it periodically, you expose it to the attack of mites or other pests such as White fly.
This plant requires strong pruning
which must be done in winter, leaving it a few centimeters from the ground at least 10 cm., this allows the route to be strengthened and not lengthened in an exaggerated way. Its leafiness lends itself to ornamental pruning, in fact it is widely used on borders and beds.Plant multiplication
To multiply the plant there are two ways to do it, using seeds or cuttings. If you start from seeds, these should be placed on the surface of the substrate and put just a little soil on top as they need a lot of sun. Meanwhile the substrate must remain moist and the temperature they require is above 20 degrees for germination to thrive.
In approximately 14 days they will germinate, and to transplant them later, you have to wait 50 days, the appropriate distance between them when planting should be 45 centimeters. To obtain the seeds, you just have to wait for the flowers to dry on the plant, since this way seed buds originateWhen they dry, you remove them and remove the seeds. It is important to use gloves in the process.
Medical uses
A the rue antiparasitic and anti-inflammatory properties are attributed to it. Thanks to its content of flavonoids, alkaloids and essential oilthe flowers are used to stimulate the fibers of the uterus when there is amenorrhea or problems with poor menstruation. This makes its consumption limited during pregnancy.
It is also used to treat varicose veins, hemorrhoids and eradicate pinworms. However, consumption should be moderate and controlled by a specialist since there is a risk of poisoning. In addition, the handling must be careful because the contact with the skin produces blisters.
The Chalepensis route It also has nutritional properties, in fact it is used in cooking as a vegetable. In the case of leaves and roots these are used to season some foodsto which it provides a touch of spice. Like its powerful aroma, it is used to give way to some drinks, as well as sauces.
