Rue has attractive finely cut blue-green foliage with yellow-petaled small conical star-shaped flowers. The plant was thought to repel pests and pestilence in the Middle Ages due to its curious pungent aroma. Repels Japanese beetles and cats. Used to treat tetanus, neuralgia, dropsy, rheumatism, jaundice, and earache among other conditions. Used to flavor Grappa. Can cause phytophotodermatitis in some people. This can be quite severe, especially on hot sunny days. I generally have new employees test themselves to see if they react to it before sending them out to the Rue bed. Traditionally used as a early spring "blood thinning" tonic. Host plant for the Swallowtail butterfly and it's the national flower of Lithuana.