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This plant is currently planted in Milwaukee. I am beginning to like it and do not want to sell it this year.
Dictamnus (dick-tam' nuss)
Species: albus (al-bus')--white flowers
Common name: Gas Plant, Burning Bush, Dittany, and Fraxinella.
Family: Rutaceae, Rue
Height x width: Mature plant 3-4' x 3'
Growth rate: slow.
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Foliage: alternate, dark semi-glossy leathery dark green, compound into 9-11 leaflets. The leaves alternate and are odd-pinnnate, and retain their deep color until late in Fall. Each leaf may have up to eleven 2-3 inch leaflets. Both the foliage and attractive star-shaped seedpods are aromatic, with a strong fragrance of citrus. Although the blooms only last for several weeks, the foliage remains attractive throughout the season.
Flowers: White to blush blossoms are borne on terminal racemes (tall stalks)12" or more in spiking clusters. Both flowers and foliage are quite fragrant. They make excellent cut flowers.
Blooms: Late-spring and summer, shortly after Memorial Day. their showy white, rose or mauve flowers are usually veined with purple. The flowers are borne on erect spikes and each one has 5 petals with the lowermost one drooping, and conspicuous upward curving stamens.
Seeds: Seeds ripen about the middle of August. When flowers are spent the seedpods offer winter interest.
Hardiness: Dictamnus is a perennial herb which is hardy in USDA zones 3-7. It grows best in full sun, but will tolerate some light shade during the hottest months.
Soil: Dictamnus is easily grown in most well draining garden soils and moderately fertile soil. It appreciates the addition of a small amount of lime at planting time. Once established, the plant is very drought tolerant.
Light: Full sun.
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Pests : Few pests. The new Spring foliage has a tendency to attract slugs and snails, so take the proper precautions if you don't want your plant to be ravaged by these critters!
Problems: Dictamnus is a long lived plant which resents transplanting, and dislikes disturbance very much. Choose your planting spot carefully so you won't have to move it later. NOTE: The ingestion of its plant parts can upset the digestive system.
Landscape habit, uses: Border specimen. Spreads gradually over the years to form a handsome specimen. They prefer sun or light shade and can be used in your perennial beds, borders or as accent plants. They make an excellent choice for low-maintenance gardens because they are extremely long-lived perennials, that prefer to be left alone and undisturbed.
Other culture: Resents transplanting, prefers nights below 70ºF, may need support
Propagation: Sow seeds outdoors in late summer or early fall as soon as they are ripe and cold stratify (freeze over winter). If the seed is sown in the Spring, pour boiling water over them first, or they will not germinate easily.
The roots, being very hard, may be divided with difficulty, but cuttings are possible. They are more easily raised from seeds than by root division. Cut the fleshy roots into 3 inch lengths and insert then into pots of sandy soil. When root and shoot formation have occurred, put the plants in the garden.
NOTE: It will take from two to four years for the first flower spikes to appear on young plants. Unless you are very patient, you are probably better off to purchase your plants from a good nursery.
General: When planted it should be left in the same position always, for as the plants grow older they will produce many more and taller flower stems. They require hardly any care, but prefer a rather heavy and moderately rich soil in an open, sunny position. When established drought does not affect them.
The Burning Bush... or Gas Plant earned it's name because of the phenomena that the leaves, blossoms and seed pods emit a volatile oil with a strong lemon scented vapor. It can be ignited briefly without harming the plant with a match on a calm sultry summer night if the match is quickly passed under the clusters of seed pods.
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Caution: This is a phototoxic plant which may cause phytophotodermatitis. The seed pods have high concentrations of both (5-MOP) and xanthotoxin (8-MOP), the most commonly found linear furocoumarins in phototoxic plants.
Phytophotodermatitis connotes phototoxic reactions consisting of erythema (with or without blistering) and delayed hyperpigmentation. Phototoxicity implies an immediate or delayed inflammatory reaction caused by the combination of a topical or oral photosensitizing agent followed by the appropriate wavelength of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) to the skin. This response can occur in any person who has been exposed to adequate amounts of a photosensitizing chemical and UVR. It is therefore not an immunologic reaction, and no prior sensitizing exposure is necessary for any potential victim.
I handled the plant in the morning and then continued with yard work for the rest of the day. I had no idea what phytophotodermatitis was. The next day small blisters appeared and my skin became reddish. It peaked in about 10 days, when this picture was taken. Since then, I have handled the plant and washed my hands afterwards. I have not had a problem since. I am selling this plant due to children in the household. I cannot count on the children to wash their hands after touching a plant. I do not want to risk children having this on their face or arms.
Reference for phytophotodermatitis information: http://www.telemedicine.org/botanica/bot5.htm © 1995-2000 The Internet Dermatology Society, Inc. All rights reserved.
