Burning bush, diptame, dictamnus

The burning bush is an intensely lemon and vanilla scented perennial with elegant foliage and pretty inflorescences. Its name is based on a rare and fascinating feature. On hot summer days, their capsule fruits give off ethereal inflammatory vapors, so that at dusk, when there is no wind at the same time, small bluish flames light up. That makes this plant a real rarity in the home garden.

care

The Diptam Dictamnus, also known as ash or ash root, is a rare herb from the diamond family and is native to Europe. It is one of the protected and at the same time most beautiful native wild plants. The leaves of this plant are similar to ash. Their grape-shaped, pure white or whitish-pink and purple-veined inflorescences show up from June to July.

They give off a delicate, lemon and vanilla-like scent. After flowering, the rather inconspicuous capsule fruits ripen. The burning bush adorns near-natural gardens as well as Mediterranean, farmer's, scented and aromatic gardens.

In nature, the magnificent diptame can be found on steppe-like meadows and along sunny, dry forest edges. In the garden it comes in addition to magnificent perennials such as delphinium, phlox or daylilies and as a plant partner drought-loving perennials such as flower stalks, gray upholstered thyme, tall bearded iris, noble thistles or ornamental grasses to its best advantage.

In addition, it is suitable for underplanting sparse trees. It can take 2-3 years for this plant to flower for the first time. However, this requires appropriate soil and site conditions.

Location

The burning bush finds best conditions in warm, sunny to full sun and sheltered locations. Here he can reach heights of growth of 80-100 cm. In addition, you should choose a location where this perennial can stand permanently. Only in this way can it develop well and reveal its full splendor.

Possible flammability should also be taken into account when choosing a location. The start phase is sometimes a bit difficult with this perennial. Their root area is relatively sensitive, so that intensive tillage such as B. should avoid hoeing in the root area and transplanting if possible. Once Diptam has grown, it is extremely easy to care for, can get very old and get more beautiful from year to year.

floor

In addition to a lot of sun, this extravagant perennial needs well-drained, chalky, moderately nutrient-rich and dry to fresh soils, which can also be stony. Acidic and waterlogged soils should be avoided. Particularly heavy soil can be made looser and more permeable by adding sand and fine gravel or chippings.

plants

The ash root can be planted individually or in small tuffs from up to 5 specimens. Depending on their final size, a spacing of at least 50 cm is recommended for several plants, which corresponds to about 4-5 pieces per square meter. The best time to plant is in autumn.

For an optimal start, it is advisable to add some compost to the planting hole. After planting, it should be watered moderately and the soil should be kept slightly moist until it has fully grown.

to water

• Diptam is perfect for dry soil conditions
• it does not require regular watering
• Water only in the initial phase, during longer dry periods and occasionally when it is hot
• Ordinary tap water can also be used for watering
• the lime it contains would even come in handy for this plant
• Watering should preferably be done in the early morning or late evening
• Watering in the blazing midday sun can cause burns

Fertilize

The nutritional requirements of this plant are relatively low. In the case of planted specimens, organic starting fertilization in the spring, for example in the form of compost, bark humus, horse manure or plant manure, is usually sufficient. The situation is different when planting in a bucket.

Keeping in the bucket

The burning bush can easily be cultivated in a bucket and thus beautify terraces and south-facing balconies. In order to thrive optimally in the bucket, good drainage, for example from coarse gravel or pottery shards, is essential. In this way, excess irrigation water can drain off and waterlogging can be avoided. Commercially available potted plant soil, which can be thinned with sand and lava granules, is suitable as a substrate.

Even in the pot, there is only moderate watering and water in the saucer is regularly removed. A liquid fertilizer can be administered 2-3 times between March and September to meet the nutritional requirements. In early spring, it is advisable to prune back, which can also be stronger.

In winter there is no fertilization and only occasionally watering on frost-free days. The walls of planters are usually very thin, so that the frosty temperatures can penetrate almost unhindered to the roots. As a result, they need to be protected accordingly.

Cut

The pruning of this fascinating wild perennial should not be done before spring, because the autumnal fruit stands are also a very decorative eye-catcher. They also help many birds through the long winter. In early spring, before the new shoots, the Diptam Dictamnus can be cut back to about 20 cm above the ground.

Dead and diseased shoots are completely removed or regularly cut out. Further cutting measures are not required. Due to the toxicity of this plant, it makes sense to wear both gloves and long-sleeved clothing when cutting.

Multiply

The burning bush can be multiplied both by sowing and by dividing. However, sowing is much more complex, since the seeds belong to the cold germs and are therefore initially stratified, i.e. H. must be subjected to heat and cold treatment. Only in this way can the inhibition of germination be lifted and the seeds stimulated to germinate.

sowing

If you already have a diptame, you can use the seeds of this plant for sowing. They can be harvested as soon as the fruit heads have dried up. Stratifying should begin immediately after harvesting to prepare the seeds for sowing. Longer storage of the seeds is not recommended. The longer you store it, the more the germination capacity suffers or it is completely lost.

Stratify

• first put the seeds in a plastic bag with some damp sand or perlite
• Then store the bag in a warm place at temperatures around 20 degrees for 2-4 weeks
• the substrate should always be slightly damp during this time and not dry out
• the warm phase is followed by the cold phase
• to do this, store the plastic bag and its contents in the refrigerator for 4-6 weeks

sowing

After the cold phase is over, the seeds are taken out of the refrigerator and sown in small pots. The bottom layer in the pots should consist of drainage. The drainage is followed by a layer of potting soil and a layer of sand. The seeds are spread on the sand, which in turn is covered with a layer of sand. Ideally, the same soil is used for cultivation in which the diptame will later be in the garden.

In order to create the best possible germination conditions, the pots are then covered with cling film. The whole thing is now placed in a warm place at temperatures around 20 degrees. The substrate must be kept evenly moist until germination. The germination process can take between half a year and a year.

division

The division is the more effective form of reproduction and can be particularly useful for older specimens to rejuvenate them. The best time for this is early spring before budding begins. A division, however, always harbors the risk that the plants will die afterwards, because transplanting resp. they are very sensitive to a change of position. For this reason, too, a division should not take place before the third year of standing. Only then are the plants strong enough to survive this procedure.

First, the root ball is dug up and the adhering earth is carefully shaken off. Then remove all diseased and rotten root strands. Now you put the bale on a firm surface and divide it into several pieces with a sharp knife or a spade. It is important to ensure that each individual section has sufficient roots and at least 2 buds or Eyes.

Then the newly obtained plants can be planted in their final location while maintaining the original planting depth. Ideally, the soil in the planting area is loosened thoroughly beforehand and then watered thoroughly after planting. As with cutting, gloves should also be worn when dividing the plant to protect against skin irritation.

Overwinter

• overwintering in the garden is possible without any problem
• Planted ash root is well hardy in our latitudes
• it survives temperatures of down to minus 20 degrees without being damaged
• As a rule, protective measures can be completely dispensed with for this wild perennial
• in contrast, is at Potted plants appropriate protection is essential
• in the tub, the roots are particularly susceptible to frost damage
• to counteract this, wrap the planter with jute, fleece or bubble wrap
• the pot should not stand directly on the icy ground, but a little higher
• it is best to place it on a wooden pallet or styrofoam plate

Pests

If the site and soil conditions are optimal, the burning bush, Diptam Dictamnus, is very robust and hardly susceptible to diseases. The situation is different with pests. Snails in particular like to eat these plants. They prefer to target young plants as well as the young shoots and leaves of the plants.

In order to avoid damage caused by snail feeding as far as possible, appropriate protective measures should be taken in spring, for example by spreading organic slug pellets. As a support, you can read the animals regularly and dispose of them accordingly.

sorts

Dictamnus albus 'Albiflorus' - white flowering diptame

The white, yellowish-veined, grape-shaped flowers and buds are characteristic of this diptame variety. The flowers can reach a size of 5 - 10 cm. The long stamens and seed heads are also very decorative. Both the flowers and the glossy green leaves have a very pleasant lemon scent. This burning bush grows 50 - 60 cm in width and around 80 - 100 cm in height and comes in combination with switchgrass, sage or Catnip show off well.

Dictamnus albus "Purpureus"

This diptame differs from the white flowering one in the color of its flowers. They are light pink with filigree purple veins. It also exudes a pleasant scent and reaches similar heights and widths. Dictamnus albus "Purpureus" is an ideal companion for knapweed, bearded iris, Christmas rose, linum and various Grasses.

particularities

The burning bush is rarely found in its natural location and is therefore a protected wild shrub. It is poisonous in all parts of the plant above ground, especially its capsule fruits. This toxicity is based u. a. on the very high content of alkaloids secreted by the plant and which can cause skin irritation in sensitive people.

In addition, it is said to have a healing effect that was already used in the Middle Ages. Today it is no longer used as a medicinal plant due to its toxicity. The real highlight of this spectacular perennial, however, is its ability to produce lots of essential oils on very hot days Emit vapors that can ignite for a brief moment in calm conditions without closing the plant damage. It is to this fact that this extraordinary plant owes the apt name 'Burning Bush'.