The meadow rue (lat. Thalictrum) belongs to the buttercup family, as does the distantly related columbine. With its mostly pastel-colored flowers, it decorates natural gardens or herbaceous beds and looks particularly good against the dark background of bushes or yews.
How do I properly care for the meadow rue?
Caring for the meadow rue includes a sunny to partially shaded location, humus-rich, fresh to moist soil, high humidity and rather low temperatures. You should water regularly, protect from wind and divide plants in spring or after flowering for propagation.
The best location and the right soil
Most varieties of meadow rue prefer a sunny to partially shaded location. The soil should be fresh or even moist, humus-rich and preferably a little calcareous. The meadow rue usually does not tolerate drought particularly well. In nature it can often be found on the edges of forests or in partially shaded meadows. It likes high humidity and rather low temperatures.
Which meadow rue is the right one?
With around 130 species, the choice is certainly not easy, but not all meadow rue are equally suitable for growing in the garden. As a gardener, for example, you can choose the color of the flowers from white, yellow and pink to shades of violet. And the flower shape also varies between the classic flower, similar to the clematis, and a flower reduced to the stamens, which appears light and feathery.
If you cannot offer the meadow rue or Thalictrum, as the plant is called in Latin, the ideal location or the right soil, then ask the nursery or your specialist dealer which of the varieties on offer is best suited to your conditions can cope.
Caring for the meadow rue
In order to rejuvenate the meadow rue, division is not necessary. However, the plant is quite easy to propagate. The best time for this is spring. Alternatively, this is also possible directly after flowering in summer.
During a longer dry period or on dry ground, you should water the meadow rue regularly. If you live in a windy area, give it a little support (€17.00 on Amazon) so that the wind doesn't break it or put it on the ground.
The most important things in brief:
- Location: sunny to partially shaded
- Soil: humus, fresh to moist
- Flowering time: July to August
- high humidity
- rather low temperatures
- somewhat sensitive to wind
Tip
If you would like to propagate your existing meadow rue, then divide plants in spring or immediately after flowering.
