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This Month’s Speaker: Miguel Cisneros-Abreu
Miguel Cisneros-Abreu, President of the REHS will surprise us with an herbal talk of his choice. Be prepared to learn from a great local resource.
Herb of the Month: Rue
A Look Ahead:
November 7, 2007: Karen Esty Karen will return with her ‘floral waters,’ some of which she made during her presentation in May.
Herb of the Month: Sage
December 5, 2007: No presentation. Bring a potluck dish to share during our great Holiday Feast.
Herb of the Month: Mistletoe
2008 Dates
January 2, 2008
February 6, 2008
March 5, 2008
April 2, 2008
May 7, 2008
June 4, 2008
July 4, 2008
Meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30pm in the Fruit & Spice Park Auditorium. All members and guests are welcome! Our Tasting Table, Raffle Ticket Drawing, and Door Prize Drawing follow each speaker.
Monthly Society Project: Come garden with us! Meet in the Park at 10am on the Saturday following each monthly meeting. You get free park admission and free herbs to take home.
Description: Rue is a small, typically evergreen or semievergreen plant with divided, clublike leaves. Flowers are bright yellow with four petals, and blooms occur in summer. It can reach 2 or 3 feet in height.
Cultivation: Propagation can occur by seeds or cuttings. Leaves are picked in spring and summer.
Medicinal: Rue is used as a homeopathic remedy for many different conditions, including eyestrain, sprains, strained tendons, and bruised bones. Poultices and salves can be used to relieve sciatica, gout and rheumatic pain.
CAUTIONS: Rue can cause a poison-ivy like rash, particularly if it is handled in the sun or in wet conditions. It is also not safe for internal consumption unless under the care of a knowledgeable person, since it can be toxic if taken internally.
Culinary uses: Despite warnings, rue has traditionally been used in dishes requiring a bitter flavoring, and in flavoring liqueurs.
Sources:
Herbs and Spices for Florida Gardens by Monica Moran Brandies.
A Druid’s Herbal for the Sacred Year by Ellen Evert Hopman.
Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses by Deni Bown. Flowering rue
More about Rue:
• Rue was once used to sprinkle holy water in churches, and thus earned the name ‘herb of grace’.
• Rue is traditionally thought to have powerful purifying properties, and can clear negativity.
• Rue was also thought to be a potent antidote against poisons and disease, and was one of the “Four Thieves’ Vinegar” (thought to be protection against the Black Plague)