Goat's Rue

About Goat's Rue

Goat's Rue is a striking and unusual legume that commands attention with its bi-colored flowers and soft, silvery-green foliage. This perennial typically grows one to two feet tall, forming a compact mound of pinnately compound leaves covered in fine, silky hairs. Its large, pea-like blossoms are a stunning combination of creamy yellow and vibrant pink, clustered at the ends of the stems in early summer (May to August). Native to the eastern and central United States, Goat's Rue is a specialist of dry, sandy, or acidic soils, often found in pine barrens, sand prairies, and rocky woods. As a nitrogen-fixing legume, it actually improves the soil in which it grows, making it a valuable component of habitat restoration projects. It is an important nectar source for native bees and is the primary larval host for the rare Mottled Duskywing butterfly. Goat's Rue requires full sun and excellent drainage to thrive and is notoriously difficult to transplant due to its long, woody taproot. For best results, sow seeds directly into their permanent location in the fall or provide a period of cold-moist stratification.