Early Meadow-rue Thalictrum dioicum
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- tha-LIK-trum dy-oh-EE-kum
- Description
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Early Meadow Rue is an easy to grow native perennial wildflower with lacy green leaves. It is found naturally in seepages and moist forests. Plant it in average to rich well-drained soil in the full sun to dappled or partial shade. Its gray-green leaves provide a great backdrop to other later flowering perennials and it looks attractive in a border front, in a meadow or cutting garden or naturalized area of the landscape. This plant is dioecious, meaning a male and a female plant are needed to produce a set of fruit. This plant is pollinated by the wind. It is heat sensitive and dies back in the middle of summer.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Older plants may need to be staked to stay upright.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Thalictrum
- Species:
- dioicum
- Family:
- Ranunculaceae
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- North America
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Fruit Description:
- Fruits are green and are available May-June.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Showy early spring (March-May) green-white with purple edges. Male flowers with yellow stamens and female flowers have purple pistils.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Lacy delicate gray green leaves.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Small Space
- Landscape Theme:
- Cutting Garden
- Native Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds