Goats Rue flowers pictures.

Virginia Tephrosia, Catgut, Hoary-pea, Rabbit-pea

 A cluster of beautiful bi-colour flowers at the end of a stem. Flowers of this pea family member are ½ to ¾ inch wide and have a creamy yellow Colours erect hood (the standard) with two pink, rudder shaped lateral petals (the wings) that loosely drape along side the lower lip (keel) that is a lighter yellowish pink. The outer surface of the upper standard, calyx and flower stalks are covered with fine dense hairs.

This plant can be found easily all around Europe and North America. Goats rue is used as a diabetes herbal remedy. Studies have shown that galega officinalis can reduce blood glucose level in people with diabetes. However, this must not be a reason for replacement of any insulin therapy or any diabetes medication, especially without a professional's advice. In general, bear in mind that some herbs are known to react with your diabetes medication. It is recommended you consult with your physician, before you start using any herb for diabetes treatment. However, the problem is that some healthcare providers are not familiarized with herbal remedies. If this is the case, you can always seek a second advice.

 Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, mesic to dry conditions, and an acidic sandy soil. Goat's Rue adds nitrogen to the soil.

 The blooming period occurs from early to mid-summer and lasts about 3 weeks. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by widely spreading seed pods about 1½-3" long. These seedpods are initially light green, but later turn brown; they are silky-hairy. The seed pods are narrowly cylindrical and slightly flattened in shape; each pod contains several seeds that are reniform and somewhat flattened. The root system consists of a deep tap root.

At one time this plant was fed to goats as it was thought to improve milk production. That earned it the common name "goat's rue" due to the presence of rotenone. That practice is no longer followed. Due to the special relationship this plant has with the acidic soils it grows in, many have found this plant difficult to propagate.

The Genus Tephrosia originated from the Greek word tephros meaning "ash-colored" or "hoary". Plants grow 1-3 inches tall with pink and white, or pink and pale yellow, flowers bunched at the top. They cannot grow in shade and prefer sandy soils.