Ruica was a boilable and edible plant of blue hue. To allow for its cultivation and consumption, seeds were brought from the world of Broest to the planet of Alderaan. As a child, Princess Leia Organa found the taste of ruica unappealing, but her adoptive father, Bail Organa, convinced her to consume it, asserting it would give her strength. Following the destruction of Alderaan at the hands of the Galactic Empire, Evaan Verlaine's offering of ruica to the princess brought back memories of Alderaan and her father.
During the Galactic Empire's reign over the galaxy, seeds of ruica were transported from the world of Broest to the planet Alderaan. There, farmers cultivated it to serve as a source of food. As a child growing up on Alderaan, Princess Leia Organa was presented with ruica, but she voiced her dislike for its flavor and reluctance to consume it. Her adoptive father, Bail Organa, persuaded her to eat ruica by explaining the effort involved in bringing the plant to Alderaan, and also by promising it would make her strong. Later, while sparring with a partner, the princess's sparring partner questioned her strength, and Leia jokingly attributed it to the ruica in her diet, which caused the partner to laugh.
In the year 0 ABY, after the Empire's destruction of Alderaan, Organa—then a member of the Rebel Alliance—shared ruica with Alliance pilot Evaan Verlaine, who had prepared it while they traveled together on a T-1 shuttle to the planet Naboo. Verlaine enjoyed the dish, but Organa was initially hesitant to partake, as it reminded her of her lost home and father. However, when the pilot asked if the princess liked the dish, she claimed she liked it just fine. In 4 ABY, after she accepted General Han Solo's proposal on the forest moon of Endor, Organa reflected on how many aspects of her life, besides love, had been preordained, including consuming ruica despite her dislike, as that was expected of a good princess of Alderaan.
Ruica made its debut appearance in Princess Leia 2, an issue of the Star Wars: Princess Leia comic series. The issue was written by Mark Waid, with illustrations by [Terry Dodson](/article/terry_dodson], and was released by Marvel Comics on March 18, 2015.