Dorothy FarrarWall diamond
The wall rue is a plant that belongs to the spleenwort family. It is also known as Wall Spleenwort. Since it often grows in cracks and joints of old walls as a cultural follower, it was given the name wall rue.
General overview
The wall rue is a small and evergreen fern whose leaves can be 3 to 15 centimeters long. The leaves of the plant are two or three pinnate, their outline is irregular and has a triangular to oval shape. The pinnae are usually diamond-shaped and narrowed like a wedge at the base. At the top, the fern leaves are notched or incised and are about 2 to 3 millimeters long. The petioles of the wall rue and the top of the leaf blade are green. When the sori of the fern are mature, they completely cover the underside of the small feathers, making them brown in color.
Occurrence and cultivation
The distribution area of the wall rue extends over all temperate areas of the northern hemisphere. Originally, the fern was found in cracks in the rocks of the mountains and low mountain ranges. The wall rue tolerates calcareous and acidic rocks, but prefers calcareous sites that are rich in nutrients. Due to its location preferences, the wall rue grows in many cases in wall joints and is even found in inner cities. In the natural habitats of the wall rue, it only appears as a companion to other rock crevice plants. However, outside of the low mountain ranges, the plant is a so-called characteristic species of a special plant community, the wall rue field.
With regard to the cultivation of the wall rue, it must be noted that the cultivation of the plant is sometimes difficult. In principle, a piece of the fern leaf including the mature spores must be placed in sterilized soil, ideally in a pot. This must always be kept moist. The spores of the wall rue need about two to three months to germinate, whereby the air temperature should be around 15°C. As soon as the wall rue is a few centimeters tall, it can be planted in the desired location, ideally in a crevice in the wall.
Application and effect
Wall rue has numerous health benefits and can therefore be used to treat various health problems. In general, the wall rue is suitable for loosening mucus and providing relief in the context of menstrual cramps. It also has a diuretic effect . Wall rue is also characterized by ingredients that are effective on the eyes. In folk medicine there are some areas of application for the wall rue, but the plant has no meaning in modern herbal medicine.
Basically, the wall rue can be used as a tea, mouthwash , hair product, eye drops and as an oil. To make the tea, pour a cup of boiling water over a teaspoon of the dried herb and let it steep for ten minutes. The tea is then strained. Such a wall rue tea has an expectorant effect and is therefore suitable for use against coughs, rickets and menstrual problems. The tea is used to gargle with the Mauerrue mouthwash. The rinse can be used for inflammation and minor injuries in the mouth area.
If the active ingredients of the wall rue are to be used as a hair remedy, the fern should be boiled in wine and applied to the hair at a suitable temperature. This brew is said to have a stimulating effect on hair growth. The preparation of the eye drops is similar to that of tea, but you should avoid using homemade eye drops due to the risk of infection. To make wall rue oil, crushed fern leaves are placed in chamomile oil . Such a wall rue oil is suitable, for example, for rubbing in on swellings.
What does the wall rhombus help against?
importance to health
Wall rue is traditionally used in naturopathy, for example in the context of coughs, rickets and eye diseases. The plant is also particularly effective against menstrual cramps and swelling. If an application of the wall rhombus for health purposes is considered, some principles must be observed. Like all ferns, wall rue is slightly poisonous. However, the leaves of the wall rue, which can in principle be collected all year round, are difficult to dose. Therefore, independent, unsupervised therapeutic self-experiments must be discouraged.
Pregnancy and lactation are particular contraindications . Wall rue can trigger symptoms of poisoning typical of spleen ferns, such as vomiting , nausea , tiredness and dizziness .
Unlike many other medicinal herbs, such as lemon balm or St. John’s wort , wall rue is not used in homeopathy either. It is therefore not available in the form of tablets, globules or ointments. Wall rue is also generally not sold as an herbal tea in pharmacies or drugstores.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.