Meadow Rue

Thalictrum dasycarpum

Meadow Rue has soft, feathery leaves and pretty little flowers that hang like tiny bells. It loves to grow in wet meadows and fields!

Habitat: Wet meadows and fields

Appearance

The Meadow Rue has delicate, fern-like green leaves on often purplish stems. Its small, airy flowers lack true petals, instead displaying fluffy clusters of stamens that can be creamy white, yellow, or pale purple, creating a misty appearance.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderRanunculalesFamilyRanunculaceaeGenusThalictrum

Meadow Rue

Interesting facts

Instead of colorful petals, its flowers are fluffy clouds of stamens!

Its wispy leaves look just like tiny maidenhair ferns!

Many Meadow Rue species can grow taller than a grown-up!

Some types of Meadow Rue have separate 'boy' and 'girl' plants!

Special abilities

Meadow Rue has feathery stigmas and dangling stamens that let the wind carry and catch its pollen, helping it reproduce without many insects.

Meadow Rue can produce special chemicals called alkaloids that make it taste bad to most hungry animals, helping it defend itself.

Meadow Rue has a strong root system that helps it find water deep underground, allowing it to survive drier periods.

Measurements & details

Height: 100-250 cm
Spread: 60-90 cm
Flower Size: 0.3-0.8 cm
Bloom Season: Late Spring to Late Summer
Edible: No
Toxicity: Mild
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Wind

Ecological connections

pollinates

Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Gathers nectar, aiding plant reproduction.

pollinates

Common Eastern Bumblebee

Bombus impatiens

Collects pollen and nectar from flowers.

depends on

Slender Wave Moth

Eulithis gracilineata

Larvae feed on Meadow Rue foliage.

Traits

Deciduous

Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Shade Tolerant

Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.

Fragrant Flower

Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.