Dictamnus albus
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Dictamnus albus
COMMON NAME(S): Gas plant, Dittany, Burning bush
SYNONYM(S):
FAMILY: RUTACEAE - Citrus family
ORIGIN: Southwestern Europe, southern and central Asia
HABITAT: Cultivated landscapes
RANGE:
TYPE:
HEIGHT: 16-32"
CHARACTERISTICS: Stems woody at base
LEAVES: Alternate, glandular, feather-like with 3-6 pairs of narrowly, oval shaped leaflets, the margins finely-toothed
FLOWERS: Showy, 1" wide, white, pink, red or lilac, borne on a large, unbranched, gland-dotted flower stem
FLOWERING SEASON: Summer
FRUITS: Capsules
ALLERGENIC PRINCIPLES: Volatile oils
ALLERGENIC PROPERTIES: Photodermatological
COMMENTS: This showy garden plant is cultivated for its flowers and as a novelty due to the compustible volatile oils produced by numerous glands on the foliage and flower stems. These same oils can cause a blistering photodermatological reaction in sensitive individuals.
