Wildflower Archive

woodland wildflower

Tall meadow-rue

Thalictrum pubescens

Also known as King Of The Meadow, King-of-the-meadow, Tall Meadow Rue

Tall meadow-rue (Thalictrum pubescens)1 of 2
New York State Botanist. Walter B. Starr of Homer D. House

Native to much of the USA and southern Canada

Newfoundland to eastern Ontario, south to Long Island, Georgia and Mississippi

  • Light Partial shade Sun tolerance
  • Moisture Moist Moisture preference
  • Zones 2–8 Cold to heat range
  • Bloom Jun–Aug Flowering time
  • Height up to 10 ft to 3.0 m
  • Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
Full details, see below

In the garden

A woodland wildflower for partial shade and evenly moist soil. At up to 10 ft, it needs room in shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 2–8.

Growing conditions

Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet

Hardiness zones

Find your zone:

Pollinators & wildlife

  • Flower flies Eastern Calligrapher
    also Oblique Streaktail, Thick-legged Hover Fly, Virginia Giant Hover Fly +4 more Dusky-winged Hover Fly, Banded Thintail, Bald-faced Hornet Fly, Eastern Flower Fly
  • Bees Common Eastern Bumble Bee
    also Western Honey Bee, Eastern Carpenter Bee, Brown-belted Bumble Bee +3 more Yellow-banded Bumble Bee, Deep-blue Sweat Bee, Cresson's Sweat Bee
  • Beetles Spotted Cucumber Beetle also Banded Longhorn Beetle, Strangalepta Flower Longhorn Beetle, Lined Longhorn Beetle
  • Also visited by
    • Butterflies:
      Red Admiral, Black Swallowtail +1 more Euphydryas phaeton

Butterflies that use this plant

Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.

Full plant details

Where it grows

Habitat
WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range
Much of the USA and southern CanadaUnited States (25): AL, CT, DC, DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV. Canada (4): NB, NS, PE, QC. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution
Newfoundland to eastern Ontario, south to Long Island, Georgia and MississippiThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Growing conditions

Light
Partial shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture
MoistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones
USDA 2–8 · Canadian 1–7The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil
Moist soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.

Growth & form

Height
up to 10 ft (to 3.0 m)Typical mature height.
Life cycle
PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).

Flowers, foliage & fruit

Type
WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
Bloom
Jun–AugWhen it flowers.
Flower color
WhiteThe bloom color, or colors.
Toxicity
None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.