Red Gas Plant {Dictamnus var. rubra} Natures' Wonder Perennial | Showy Blooms| Cutting Favorite | 10 seeds.

This perennial is truly a natural wonder that bears the hardy reds
to white flowers, and produces a scent of lemon peel when gently rubbed, 
Indeed the volatile oil can be ignited on a hot day leaving the plant 
uninjured! R.H.S. 'AGM' Award Winner.

Dictamnus albus var. rubra, the gas plant, always makes a big splash in the garden when 
it is flowering and even when it is not flowering it is a very interesting 
plant with good leaf structure.  Even the star-shaped seed heads are interesting. 
So why is this plant not seen more in gardens? It is very slow growing and I 
think it costs nurseries too much to get it to a saleable size. Fashions 
have also changed and this fantastic plant has been left behind in 
favor of more modern plants. That is a real shame since few garden 
plants will match the presence of a mature Dictamnus.

Before you go and touch this plant you should be aware that it causes 
phytophotodermatitis (ie skin reaction) for some people where exposure to 
sun produces blisters. I don’t have this problem and most people don’t.

The gas plant has a long, deep tap root which makes it very drought tolerant 
but also difficult to divide or move. It is best to leave the plant where it is, 
and grow a new one from seeds. But even this can be a bit tricky. When the seeds 
are ripe, they are shot out of the seed capsule as soon as you touch them. It 
is best to bag seed heads and wait until they drop into the bag.

Dictamnus albus var. rubra
Life Cycle: perennial
Height: Plant is 60cm (2 ft) tall with the flower spike adding 30 cm (1 ft)
Bloom Time: Mid summer
Habitat: open woodland
Cultivation of Dictamnus albus
Light: full sun
Soil: fertile and humusy – but not fussy
Water: drought tolerant once established
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 – 9,  prefers cool climates
Propagation: seed, division with care

Category:
Perennials
Water Requirements:
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Sun to Partial Shade
Foliage:
Herbaceous
Foliage Color:
Unknown - Tell us

Hardiness :
USDA Zone 3a: to -39.9 °C (-40 °F)
USDA Zone 3b: to -37.2 °C (-35 °F)
USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F)
USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F)
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)

Germination :
Seeds can be sown at any time but are best sown in winter or early spring 
to benefit from a cold spell in the wet compost to break their dormancy. 
We advise covering seeds very thinly with sand or fine grit to about the 
depth of the seed size. If the seeds do not come up within 6 to 12 weeks 
the damp seed tray can be given cold treatment in a fridge for about four 
weeks. They may still take very many months to appear, so please never 
discard the pot or tray.

Seedlings grow slowly, but are not difficult to raise. The plants are quite 
tough and should flower in 3-4 years. Once established, it will last a very long time.