Syrian rue
A white-flowered plant spreading on steppe and overgrazed land, avoided by livestock; in early summer it gives bees moderate nectar and pollen.
- Nectar
- Medium
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 0,3-0,8 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Syrian rue is a deep-rooted perennial common around villages, along roadsides and on overgrazed steppe in central, eastern and south-eastern Anatolia. Because animals avoid it for its bitter, poisonous nature, it keeps increasing on grazed land. Its white, five-petalled flowers give nectar, and their yellow anthers pollen; bees visit it in early summer, when the steppe begins to dry out.
Flowering
It flowers from May to July; being very drought-tolerant, it can stay in flower after the surrounding grasses have dried.
Honey and pollen
No single-flower honey is produced; it contributes to steppe honeys. No reliable record of the pollen colour was found.
Note for the beekeeper
The seeds contain powerful alkaloids and are poisonous to people and animals. No poisoning via honey or pollen has been reported; still, care is needed when using the seeds and roots of the plant.