Menu list goes here

Herbal Database Search Results

Back to: Pathways Main Search Page For Metaphysical uses visit The Witchs Haven

Dictamnus albus

Common name:	Burning Bush	Family:	Rutaceae
Author:	L.	Botanical references:	200
Synonyms:	Dictamnus fraxinella (Pers.)
Known Hazards:	Poisonous[19].
Range:	S. and C. Europe.
Habitat:	Woodland margins and rocky scree, mainly on calcareous soils[19].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	2	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	3

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	D. caucasicus[G] D. fraxinellus[G] D. fraxinellus var. caucasicus[G] Fraxinella dictamnus[H]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Bastard [H], Burning Bush [L,H], Chin Ch'Iao Erh Chiao [E], Dictamo Blanco [E], Dittany [H,E], False Dittany [H], Fraxinella [H], Gasplant [P,B,H], Gazelotu [E], Pai Hsien [E], Pai Shan [E], White Dittany [H], White Fraxinella [H],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	albus = white dictamnus = dittany
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Sapindales. Rue family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China Europe Spain Turkey

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 1m by 0.6m . It is hardy to zone 3. It is in flower from June to July. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. It is noted for attracting wildlife. We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 3/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Cultivated Beds, Sunny Edge.

Edible Uses

Tea.

A lemon-scented tea is made from the dried leaves[21, 46, 61]. Refreshing and aromatic[183].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Abortifacient Anthelmintic Antibacterial Antispasmodic Aromatic Digestive Diuretic Emmenagogue Expectorant Febrifuge Galactogogue Homeopathy Stimulant Tonic.

The burning bush has been used in Chinese herbal medicine for at least 1,500 years[238]. The root bark is a bitter, strong-smelling herb that lowers fevers and controls bacterial and fungal infections[238]. The plant has an effect similar to rue (Ruta graveolens) in that it strongly stimulates the muscles of the uterus, inducing menstruation and sometimes causing abortion[254]. By contrast, its effect upon the gastro-intestinal tract is antispasmodic and it acts as a mild tonic on the stomach[254].
Both the flowering stems and the root-bark are used medicinally[7]. They are abortifacient, anthelmintic, antispasmodic, aromatic, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, galactogogue, stimulant and tonic[7, 9, 19, 21, 46, 178, 211]. The plant is used both internally and externally in the treatment of skin diseases (especially scabies and eczema), German measles, arthritic pain and jaundice[238]. It is little used in Western herbalism nowadays, though it has been recommended for use in nervous complaints, intermittent fevers, scrofulous and scorbutic diseases[4]. Use with caution, in large doses it is poisonous[9, 21].
The root bark is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use[238].
An infusion of the leaves is used as a tea substitute and is a good digestive[7].
A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh leaves[9]. It is used in the treatment of female complaints and constipation[9].

Other Uses

Essential.

The plant contains an essential oil[211]. Yields from the fresh flowering plant are around 3% on a dry weight basis[240]. This oil is used as a cosmetic[4].

Cultivation details

An easily grown plant, succeeding in ordinary garden soil[1]. It prefers a dry sunny position with some lime[1, 108] and is not suitable for heavy or damp soils[111]. Established plants are drought tolerant[190].
A very ornamental plant[1], it should be planted into its permanent position as soon as possible because it dislikes root disturbance[1, 175].
The whole plant contains a very aromatic essential oil, giving out a scent somewhat like lemon peel[4]. When the plant is bruised, this smell becomes more like fine balsam[4]. This essential oil is emitted from the plant in hot weather and, on a still day, can be ignited and will burn for a second or two without harming the plant, thus giving the plant its common name[1, 4, 13, 187].
Slugs are strongly attracted to this plant and can destroy it by eating all the young growth in spring[K].
There are at least 2 named varieties, 'Pink' produces a tea with a less lemony flavour but with an added taste of almonds and vanilla, 'White' has a lemony fragrance and taste[183].
The flowers are very attractive to bees[108].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[175]. Cold stratify stored seed for 6 weeks and sow in the spring in a cold frame[175]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 6 months at 15° c[175]. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division in spring[1]. Take care since the plant resents root disturbance[1]. The plant can also be divided in autumn[200]. We have found it best to tease out divisions from the side of the clump to avoid the need to dig up the main clump. Try to get divisions that already have formed roots. Pot them up in a greenhouse and grow them on for a year to make sure they are well established before planting them out.
Root cuttings in November/December.

Scent

Leaves: Fresh Crushed: The whole plant gives out a scent somewhat like orange peel - this is especially noticeable on hot days. When the plant is bruised this smell becomes more like fine balsam.

Cultivars

'White': This form has a lemony fragrance and taste[183].
'Pink': This form produces a tea with a less lemony flavour but with an added taste of almonds and vanilla[183].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[PHARM] Phytochemical Data (common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Dictamnus fraxinella (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database

References for dictamnus albus (a possible synonym).

[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures
[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures
[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures
[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures

References for the family Rutaceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.

[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.

[13] Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975 ISBN 0-600-33545-3
Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.

[19] Stary. F. Poisonous Plants. Hamlyn 1983 ISBN 0-600-35666-3
Not very comprehensive, but easy reading.

[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[108] International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association. 1981
The title says it all.

[111] Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge 1926
A fairly wide range of perennial plants that can be grown in Britain and how to grow them.

[175] Bird. R. (Editor) Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') Thompson and Morgan. 1991
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Corydalis spp.

[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[187] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991 ISBN 0-330-30936-9
Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.

[190] Chatto. B. The Dry Garden. Dent 1982 ISBN 0460045512
A good list of drought resistant plants with details on how to grow them.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[211] Coventry. B. O. Wild Flowers of Kashmir Raithby, Lawrence and Co. 1923
A nice little pocket guide to 50 wildflowers of Kashmir. This is part one of three, we have not seen the other two volumes

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.

Readers Comments

Back to: Pathways Home page, Main Search Page Help Bibliography

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Dictamnus+albus
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Dictamnus+albus

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
(You can copy, distribute, display this works but: Attribution is required, its for Non-Commercial purposes, and it's Share Alike (GNUish/copyleft) i.e. has an identical license.)
We also ask that you let us know (michael@thewitchshaven.com) if you link to, redistribute, make a derived work or do anything groovy with this information.

Pathways Home :: View Cart :: Shipping & Returns :: Contact Us :: Privacy Policy :: Philosophy :: The Witchs Haven

We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.