In April, early meadow rue's branch tips are adorned with yellow tassels. These are the plant’s male flowers, and they are perfectly positioned to release their pollen to the breeze. As a wind-pollinated forest plant, early meadow rue increases its reproductive success by blooming early in the spring. Prior to tree and shrub leaf-out, wind travels readily through the forest, dispersing pollen with ease. After early meadow-rue’s flowers have faded, its foliage persists, adding depth to the greenery of the forest floor. With its many-branching form, the plant creates a low, shrub-like layer wherever it grows in abundance. In the home landscape, early meadow rue fares best in soils of moderate moisture and under partial to full shade. Its curious flowers and elegant foliage make wonderful additions to a soft landings garden, where its early bloom-time coincides with that of Jacob’s ladder and Bishop’s cap. The plant’s modest, 2’ height, is an asset when placing it at the front of a garden or within an area of minimal space. In order to ensure that early meadow rue produces seed, plant several individuals within a few feet of one another. Due to the fact that it is pollinated by wind, early meadow rue does not feed pollinators, but its foliage is a food source for the colorful caterpillars of the meadow rue owlet moth as well as 14 other caterpillar species. Although the adult habits of the meadow rue owlet moth are largely unknown, it likely feeds by sucking juices from fruit. It belongs to a genus known as the vampire moths, which are named for the practice –observed in some Asian species – of drinking the blood of mammals (including humans!). Photo 1 by Julie Slater. Photo 2 by Joshua Mayer, CC BY-SA 2.0.
