Stem

  • Up to 2 ft. tall; highly branched and bushy
African Rue
African Rue

Leaves

  • Alternate, bright green and deeply divided; leaflets strap-like (linear), narrow, 0.75-2 in. long, fleshy, lack hair (glabrous) and have smooth edges (margins)
African rue African Rue 

 

Flower

  • 5 white petals surround a yellow center; 1 in. diameter; occur at leaf axils along stems
  • 5 strap-like, fleshy, green sepals (0.5 in. long) that resemble leaves that are found below flower
  • Seed pod is a small (less than 0.5 in. diameter), round capsule with 2-4 chambers; can be green orange or brown.
African rue flower
Close-up of African Rue flower

Root

  • Woody, branched taproot with short, creeping roots
African Rue
Adult plant

 

Other

  • Grows best in dry, disturbed sites; often infests roadsides, waste areas, washes and desert areas; known to occur in Churchill, Mineral, Washoe, and White Pine counties.
  • Perennial; reproduces by both seeds and roots
  • All plant parts poisonous to livestock and humans
 

Control

  • Repeatedly dig or pull individual plants; remaining roots can produce new plants
  • Apply glyphosate, imazapyr or metsulfuron to actively growing plants
Blecker, L., Creech, E., Dick, J., Gephart, S., Hefner, M., Kratsch, H., Moe, A., Schultz, B. 2020, Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – African rue, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Field Guide

If you need more information.

Please contact Extension's Communication Team for assistance.

 

Also of Interest:

 
Weed Management
As with all pest management, it is essential to identify the pest before taking action. Most effective weed management plans include several control strategies. Weed control can be divided into five separate categories.
 Hefner, M. 2019, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno
The response of creeping wildrye (Leymus triticoides) to physical and chemical mowing, and subsequent herbicide treatment. Schultz, B., Creech, E., and McAdoo, K. 2015, UNCE Special Publication. SP15-04. p. 16.
The response of perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium) to physical and chemical mowing and subsequent herbicide treatment. Schultz, B.W., Creech, E., and McAdoo, J.K. 2014, UNCE Special Publication. SP-14-02. P.19.
Needs Assessment for Noxious Weeds in Churchill County: Part 4 of 5 - Criteria for Herbicide Use and Selection
This fact sheet is the fourth in a series of five that reports the results of a needs assessment survey completed by faculty in University of Nevada Cooperative Extension (UNCE). The survey attempted to identify the major issues related to the management and control of weeds in N...
 Davison, J., Powell, P., Schultz, B., and Singletary, L. 2012, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
Response of seedling and one and two year-old perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium) plants to herbicide control. Schultz, B.W. 2012, Journal of the NACAA. 5:1.
 

Associated Programs

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Integrated Pest Management

Integrated Pest Management program is a long-term management strategy that uses a combination of tactics to reduce pests to tolerable levels with potentially lower costs for the pest manager and minimal effect on the environment.

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Master Gardeners of Washoe County

Master Gardeners provide free, research-based horticulture information to Nevadans.

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Master Gardeners of Nevada

Program trains local gardeners to provide research-based horticulture information to Nevadans