Ruta sp.
Rue, Rue
(c) Duarte Frade, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Duarte Frade · licence
Family: Rutaceae · Type: Perennial · Not Native
Ruta sp. (Rue) is a non-native California perennial in the Rutaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Cneoridium: Ruta has compound leaves and yellow fringed petals; Cneoridium has simple opposite leaves and small white flowers.; vs Thamnosma: Ruta has yellow flowers and finely divided compound leaves; Thamnosma has dark purple flowers and simple alternate leaves.; vs Ptelea: Ruta has yellow fringed petals and herbaceous growth; Ptelea has greenish-white smooth petals and woody shrubby growth.; vs Limnanthes: Ruta has yellow flowers and strong pungent scent; Limnanthes has white/yellow flowers and no strong odor.; vs Vancouveria: Ruta has compound leaves with strong scent and yellow flowers; Vancouveria has compound leaves, no scent, and white/yellow flowers with reflexed petals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ruta sp. native to California?
No. Ruta sp. is not native to California (recorded as not native).
What plant family does Ruta sp. belong to?
Ruta sp. is in the Rutaceae family, genus Ruta.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.