Native Plant of the Week: Tall Meadow Rue ~ Thalictrum dasycarpum

Tall Meadow Rue ~ Thalictrum dasycarpum


The Tall Meadow Rue is especially tall this year in our landscape with all the rainfall we've had - almost 6 feet in height. It typically reaches heights of 3 to 5 feet. A native perennial of medium to moist locations in full sun.

The flower clusters are very showy and branched. Individual plants are either have male or female flowers. The male flowers have showy dangling filaments with yellow anthers.

Tall Meadow Rue is very common in Minnesota, growing in low lying, moist, sunny areas next to wetlands or riparian habitats. Meadow Rue is rhizomatous so it often forms small clusters.

Small Sweat Bees are attracted to the staminate flowers and collect the pollen. The female flowers do not produce any nectar reward.

The Long Horned Beetle (Euderces picipes) seems to also feed on the pollen.

And another showing of the Sphegina fly, a fly who is attracted to white-flowering woodland natives. I've also seen this fly on Long Styled Sweet Cicely and Goat's Beard.

If you have a spot with moist, loamy or sandy soils in full sun, Tall Meadow Rue is an excellent candidate.

Tall Meadow Rue is native to central North America. See map below for range.

Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP).
2011. North American Plant Atlas. Chapel Hill, N.C.