Burning bush ash tree growing from seeds. White ash is my favorite plant. Ash tree is used in ornamental gardening

Perennial ash tree, popularly known under the poetic name “ burning bush" is a rather exotic culture that requires accuracy and attentiveness. Dictumnus bushes (this is the scientific name of this plant) can ignite from open fire and can also leave a burn on the skin. Many gardeners agree to put up with such a danger and do not deny themselves the pleasure of having at least one plant, taking necessary measures precautions.

Spectacular and dangerous - description of the dictamnus ash tree

Ash tree grows everywhere in Europe and in temperate regions of Asia. has a straight but bushy trunk, capable of creating entire thickets. Its famous popular name- burning bush - dictamnus received for the ability to flare up from an open fire on hot days. This plant can leave quite noticeable chemical burns on human skin.

The ability to cause a burn and burn is inherent in ash not for reasons of a supernatural nature. Everything is explained quite simply - in the heat the plant emits a large number of essential oils - flammable and irritating to skin receptors. It was the self-ignition of essential oil, quite possible in hot climates, that gave the basis to the biblical legend of the burning bush.

However, one is afraid that this feature will cause a fire, don't. After all, the combustion temperature of essential oil is not sufficient to harm the plants in the neighborhood. However, certain safety rules should still be followed.

The genus of these plants is small; previously only six representatives were identified. They are all similar in structure and appearance, and differ in aesthetic appeal, especially during flowering. This is what attracts the attention of gardeners around the world to them.

Garden ash

Today, all forms of ash are united by botanists under one name - dictamnus alba.

It is a tall perennial plant growing up to one meter in height. The shoots are straight, covered with edges, the rhizome is developed and powerful. The shoots harmonize well with the leaves sitting on long stems. The basal leaves are entire, the stem leaves are odd-pinnate, resembling the shape of ash greens. The foliage is very fresh and has a distinct juicy green color. Even in very hot weather, the ash tree looks as if it has just been watered - fresh and juicy. The fairly sharp leaf shape harmonizes perfectly with delicate color plants.

Video about the poisonous ash plant:

The color of dictamnus attracts attention with its original color and shape. The flowers reach 2.5 centimeters in diameter and are pale pink or white in color. The petals are pointed in shape, the stamens are graceful, light green, or, less commonly, yellowish in color. The inflorescences reach twenty centimeters in length. They are not particularly magnificent, but are usually large and graceful in shape. The veins on the petals are clearly visible, which adds elegance to the flower.

The plant has a strong odor that it emits during the flowering period. The aroma of ash, bitter-spicy and reminiscent of dried zest, is very recognizable, but some may find it too intrusive.

Basic garden forms plants common among us are pink or dark red. The flowers of the plant are either white or pink. Largely due to the presence of veins of a darker color, pink petals always have very interesting and various shades. It is almost impossible to find two ash trees that have the same color, which only adds to the attractiveness of the garden ensemble of bushes of this plant

Flowering of ash begins in June and continues for one and a half months. There are also flowerless forms of the plant, which resemble the stem structure and color of magnolia. They are suitable for people who cannot stand the peculiar smell of blooming ash.

Precautionary measures

Dictamnus, being a toxic and poisonous plant, requires some caution. Common judgments about the mortal or even significant danger of this plant are highly exaggerated, but they have certain grounds. Some time after direct contact with the plant, chemical burns may form on the skin. It is dangerous to inhale too much ash aroma - essential oils can cause burns respiratory tract. And that's all unpleasant consequences are not immediately felt.

It is necessary to replant, trim and fertilize the ash tree, covering the skin as much as possible with thick clothing. There is no need to bring your face too close to the plant, especially during the flowering period. It is better to protect your hands with gloves, and do not forget that after contact with the plant you should not touch your face and, especially, rub your eyes.

The need for any kind of care for dictamnus occurs very rarely. If you plant the plant correctly, giving it the space it needs to grow, you can limit yourself to infrequent watering - no other care actions will be required for a long time.

Conditions for growing dictamnus

Ash tree is relatively unpretentious, and you can find a place for it in almost any garden. Its main advantage is its complete undemandingness to soils. After all, initially dictamnus grew on clayey and rocky lands, with insufficient moisture content and nutrients. Therefore, light and loose soil with a high content of sandy rocks is perfect for the plant. The ash tree is not picky about the nutritional value of the soil. Dampness, marshy soils and overwatering the plant doesn't like it. Bright and strong flowering is observed on calcareous soil, or on soil with a high alkali content.

The ash tree loves light, but light shading will not harm it. You should not plant it under large trees, this may have a bad effect on the color of the stems and general condition plants.

Planting ash

The best period for this is early spring or early autumn. It is better to choose a cloudy, cool day for the procedure. The plant cannot be planted in hot weather- it will not take root and will die.

Dictamnus is planted in regular planting holes, and after planting it is watered abundantly. Abundant watering should be carried out constantly until signs of plant growth appear. After this, excessive moisture can be harmful.

After the ash tree has taken root, it almost always survives in a new place. If signs of root rot appear, this means that the intensive watering was stopped too late, or the soil at the planting site is not suitable for the plant.

It is necessary to ensure that a distance of at least half a meter is maintained from the place where the bush is planted to the nearest plants. It is better if the distance is greater - this will save the gardener from the need to regularly trim the bush and allow the plant to form on its own without interfering with other bushes.

Caring for dictamnus

The plant is easy to care for. It is hardy and very resistant to drought, because it requires minimum quantity water even in very hot periods. The exception is the flowering period if it occurs in dry weather. In other periods, the ash tree does not require watering. Even if you do not water at this time, the plant will not die, but flowering may stop.

Fertilizing the soil for ash is absolutely not necessary, although it grows better in rich soil. It is much more important to maintain a sufficiently high alkali content - neutral soil does not like ash tree. It is best to apply alkalizing fertilizers once a year, spring period- it would be enough. It is worth starting from the third year of growth of the bush. If the soil is very poor, you can apply fertilizer in the second year after planting.

If dictamnus grows in a group with other plants, it does not even need periodic loosening of the soil. After completing the soil mulching procedure, you won’t even need to loosen the soil near separately growing bushes. All that is necessary is periodic pruning of the plant.

Can be carried out at almost any time, at the choice of the gardener. The best period for its implementation is early spring, until mid-April, or late autumn, before significant frosts begin. A plant planted in a fairly limited space is more demanding in terms of pruning.

How does dictamnus overwinter?

There is no need to take any measures to protect the plant in winter. Ash tree tolerates very harsh winters well middle zone without additional shelter or other measures.

Ash pests

Diseases and pests usually do not threaten the plant. The main reason poor growth or death of plants - errors during planting. If the procedure is performed correctly, the plant is not subject to any diseases or pest attacks. Spraying and other methods of preventive treatment of plants are not practiced. Weeding from weeds is also more of an aesthetic nature - most pest plants cannot “kill” an ash tree.

How to propagate ash tree

There are three types of propagation of this crop - by seeds, by dividing the bush and propagation by cuttings. In practice, all three methods are used, and the gardener himself chooses which one to give preference.

Growing ash from seeds

Propagation is carried out freshly harvested seed material, immediately after collection, in open ground. Sowing is not done immediately in the place chosen for the plant, but in a seedling row. The plants that appear in the next spring season are thinned out and planted, and then grown for two to three years.

After growing, they can be transferred to the place of permanent growth. In the third year, the ash tree will bloom, so the plant does not perform a decorative function in the first two years. If you sow the seeds not immediately after harvesting, but late autumn or in the spring, they will still sprout, but some of them will germinate for a whole year.

Dividing the bush

The bush can be divided either in early spring, until the twentieth of May, or in September. To divide, you need to wait for cloudy weather and choose fairly large divisions. Divided plants require abundant watering, otherwise they may not take root. When the bush has taken root, the intensity of watering decreases - otherwise it is possible to provoke rotting.

Cuttings of dictamnus

Young ones, correctly cut from the plant, also take root in the soil quite successfully. In order for cuttings to be successful, not only sufficient watering is necessary young plant, but also the introduction of growth accelerators. After such an operation, the success of planting is practically guaranteed; the ash tree will definitely take root.

Remember to protect your skin during all operations with the plant. When carrying out cuttings, it would be useful to protect your eyes from getting juice by wearing glasses. After completing work, wash your hands and face thoroughly and change outerwear. If the juice gets into your eyes, rinse them with plenty of water. The areas of skin on which the juice has come into contact are thoroughly washed with soapy water.

A correctly and timely operation of dividing, cutting or planting seeds guarantees success - the plant grows without requiring special care or frequent fertilization, and already in the second year it begins to perform a decorative function, and in the third year it delights the eye with beautiful and long flowering. The burning bush is a beautiful, bright plant that stands out in any flower garden - a gardener and his household will love it.

Dictamnus in landscape design

The use of this plant for decorative purposes varies. The ash tree will complement and decorate the landscape when used:

• Like a landscape peak on the highest part of a flower garden
• As a decoration in flat flower beds.
• To create the effect of a flowering relay race.
• In any ensemble with a predominance of pink tones.
• To complement landscape groups.
• As a background for other flowering plants.

When planning a planting site for dictamnus, you need to remember its toxic properties and strong aroma. You should not plant the plant near walking paths or near recreation areas. It is better to place the ash tree in the depths of the flower ensemble, so that it pleases the eye with color, and its aroma can be heard only slightly, but so that accidental contacts with it are completely excluded. Daylilies, Kermek, and Heuchera are well tolerated in proximity to ash trees.

Types of ash with descriptions and photos

Caucasian ash tree Dictamnus caucasicus

Large odd-pinnate leaves are located on a high trunk up to 80 cm. The oblong-lanceolate leaves are slightly pubescent. The stem is crowned with a paniculate or racemose inflorescence up to 15 cm in diameter. Flowers up to 2.5 cm in diameter are white with dirty purple veins or pinkish-lilac with dark purple veins. Flowering begins in June and lasts up to 45 days. Without replanting and dividing, the bushes do not degenerate until 15 years, but in the conditions of the Moscow region they practically do not set seeds.

Holostolumbar ash tree or burning bush Dictamnus gymnostylis

It grows on the banks of rivers in Ukraine and Russia, on the edges of forests and among bushes. The perennial grows up to 40-80 cm in height, slightly pubescent. The elliptical leaves are elongated and pointed at the tips. The inflorescence is racemose, sometimes paniculate. Lanceolate bracts and flowers are located on a bare stem. Blooms in May-June.

Hairy ash tree Dictamnus dasycarpus

Found in East Asia, Siberia, on Far East. Stems are erect, 80 cm or more in height. Bottom part The stems are bare, there is slight pubescence. The leaves have a pronounced axis and venation, and an elongated, pointed shape. Inflorescences are paniculate-racemose or racemose. The flowers are irregular, large, 2.5-4 cm in diameter.

White ash tree Dictamnus albus

Distributed in the Middle and Western Europe. Perennial with a well-developed root system. Erect stems up to 90 cm high are densely covered with short, pubescent leaves of dark green color. The paniculate or racemose inflorescences are large, up to 20 cm long. Flowering occurs in June-July, and the seeds ripen in August-September.

Known by the popular nickname “burning bush”, ash tree, or dictamnus - herbaceous perennial one that requires careful handling. It leaves burns on the skin, can flare up in a matter of seconds, and is toxic, which imposes significant restrictions on the possibilities of use. But those who add at least one dictamnus bush to their garden ensembles will never give up the luxurious flowering of this dangerous beauty. After all, a little caution is not such a big price to pay for amazing tenderness and ease of growing.

The restive character of a non-standard perennial

Ash tree is capable of creating spectacular thickets. These are upright but bushy perennials that grow in vigor every year. Whatever these plants are called! And wild star anise, and ash trees, and burning bush. And the culture has earned each nickname for its unique talents. In hot heat, if you bring fire to the plant, it will burst into flames. And it leaves almost the same burns on the skin as a flame. Many associate the biblical legend of the burning bush with dictamnus. And given the ease of ignition of dictamnus, assumptions about the possibility of its spontaneous combustion under the rays of the desert sun are quite logical. But you shouldn’t be afraid of a fire: it’s all about volatile essential oils, which ignite easily and go out just as quickly, without causing harm to either the plant itself or its neighbors.

Fraxinella (Dictamnus) is a small genus of ornamental Eurasian perennials. Rhizomatous and large, upright growing, up to 1 m in height, they look most attractive during flowering, but their greenery is also very good.

In the genus Dictamnus, 6 plants were previously identified. But they are all so similar to each other that modern scientists have found an ideal compromise and combined separate forms in one form - dictamnus white (dictamnus albus). Plants formerly known as Caucasian ash tree (dictamnus caucasicus), as well as less popular hairy-fruited (dictamnus dasycarpum), voicecolumnar (dictamnus gymnostyli s), narrow-leaved (dictamnus angustifolius) dictamnus today are not even classified as plant forms (all old names are synonyms of dictamnus alba).

Dittany (dictamnus albus) is the most famous representative of the genus, and according to scientists, also the only one. This is a spectacular tall perennial, growing up to 1 m (during flowering). It has a branched, powerful rhizome and straight shoots covered with dense edges. They harmonize beautifully with whole basal and odd-pinnate stem leaves sessile on long petioles. The greenery resembles an ash tree in shape, forms lush clumps, thick, with a cold-gray color. In flower beds, especially at the height of summer, ash trees look fresh, as if they have just been watered. The jagged edge, glandular edge and dense texture of the leaves seem to be specially created by nature in order to advantageously reveal the graceful flowering.

Flowers up to 2.5 cm in diameter with 6 pointed petals are white or pinkish, the stamens are yellow-light green, sometimes colored, elegant. The inflorescences-tassels up to 20 cm long appear lacy, sparse, but very elegant and large. The flowers in them are clearly visible, perceived as massive, and veins are visible on the petals, more typical of leaves. The color is complex, as a rule, the veins are contrasting, and the large stamens only add grace to the asymmetrical flower. One of the undoubted advantages of dicmanthus is its aroma: this plant is very fragrant, and during flowering it is easy to recognize even from a distance. True, not everyone likes the aroma of ash, which is somewhat reminiscent of dry orange zest. After flowering, boxes are formed that hide the black shiny seeds.

White ash has separate garden forms - pink and dark red. The color range of dictamnus is generally limited, but not at all uninteresting. The ash tree produces either white or pink flowers, and pink colors are always surprisingly complex. Dark pink veins stand out brightly against the background of light petals, making the whole plant seem graphic and watercolor at the same time. In our country, under the guise of a separate plant, they often continue to sell Caucasian ash, a smaller, pink-colored and graceful dictamnus. The best of the white-flowered varieties, "Albiflorus", seems to be a herbaceous relative of magnolias, very elegant and delicate.

Dictamnus blooms in June and July, flowering is long and equally spectacular for almost a month and a half.

Yasenets requires a special approach

The main characteristic of dictamnus is its aggressiveness. This is a super-toxic beauty, contact with which leaves severe burns and wounds on the skin. Moreover, the effect of toxins is not immediately felt. Working with dictamnus, planting it and pruning it require extreme caution and complete protection of exposed areas of the skin of the hands. You should also not lean close to the plant or inhale the aroma of flowers (a chemical burn of the mucous membranes is no less dangerous than an epidermal burn). But the myths that one should not approach the plant are unjustified: firstly, the plant leaves serious burns only in sunny weather, and, secondly, even though healing of irritations takes time, they are not at all irreversible. Like any toxic or poisonous plant, the ash tree simply requires a careful approach and frankness.

But dictamnus will pleasantly surprise you not only with its beauty, but also with its durability; it does not require replanting for decades. And if you provide them with enough space so that there is no need to contain the plant and limit its spread, the ash tree can be “planted and almost forgotten.”

Yasenets in ornamental gardening use;

• as a visual peak, the highest emphasis on flower beds and flower beds;
• as a background crop in flower beds and to fill the middle ground of double-sided borders;
• single bushes as decoration for “flat” flower beds and small groups as tall blooming decoration textured flower beds;
• as one of the most eye-catching plants in country style;
• in romantic ensembles with an emphasis on original blooms and a pink palette;
• in landscape groups and massifs;
• in the design of rockeries and rock gardens;
• in mixborders with a flowering relay race.

In flower beds and decorative compositions dictamnus should be placed away from the paths, so that they are not in the “contact zone”. You need to be careful when placing ash in mixborders or near recreation areas: despite its aroma and beauty, the plant is too toxic to be placed carelessly.

The best partners for dictamnus: heuchera, monarda, kermek, daylilies, liatris, gypsophila

Growing ash

One of the main advantages of ash is that there is a place for this plant in every garden. After all, dictamnus grow well in bright sun, even on the southern sides of rock gardens and rockeries, and in secluded partial shade. True, it is better to avoid strong shading (it negatively affects flowering), but the ash tree practically does not notice light partial shade.

In order for the ash tree to reveal all its decorative talents, it needs to be provided with alkaline or at least slightly calcareous soils. Even on neutral soil, saplings bloom weaker. But other characteristics of the soil are worth paying attention to: dictamnus loves gravel and sand, light, rocky soils, loose and loose. This plant feels great in rocky gardens and is not too demanding on soil nutrition (but grows better in moderately fertile soil than in poor soil). Ash tree does not tolerate damp and waterlogged soils.

Planting ash

This plant can be planted only on cloudy, cool days, exclusively in early spring or September. Dictamnus seedlings respond better to transplantation, but it is also better to transfer them to permanent place in a favorable period. Delenki transferred to the heat die: in summer any transplantation is unacceptable.

Since the ash tree itself actively grows, it should not be planted too close to neighboring plants. Optimal distance- about 50 cm. Dictamnus are planted in simple planting holes, maintaining the same depth level. After planting, the plant needs to be provided with abundant watering and the procedures must be systematic until signs of growth appear (but excessive dampness should not be allowed).

Caring for dictamnus

Ash tree is a more than easy to care for plant. Thanks to its drought resistance and endurance, it is truly content minimal care. Watering for the plant is carried out only during too long a drought during the flowering period, when extreme dryness of the soil can stop flowering earlier.

Dictamnus plants do not need fertilizing as such, but it is better to maintain at least a slight nutritional value of the soil and its alkaline characteristics. For this purpose, it is enough to apply a standard dose of alkalizing agents. universal fertilizers Once a year, in early spring (you should start from the 3rd year on high-quality soil and from the second on depleted soil).

Otherwise, caring for ash trees comes down to ordinary procedures - weeding in flower beds and periodically loosening the soil after heavy rainfall. If dictamnus grow in landscape groups, in large masses, in rock gardens or rock gardens, then they will not need such care. But in flower beds and flower beds you can save yourself from unnecessary worries by simply mulching the soil.

Dictamnus need pruning, but when to do it is up to you. If you want dry shoots and open ash seeds to decorate your garden under the snow caps, leave the pruning for early spring. And those who do not want to add hassle to themselves during the most active season gardening work, can prune dictamnus at the end of the year, in late autumn.

Wintering of ash

Dictamnus - completely winter-hardy plants, not afraid of even the most unexpected changes winter temperature and not requiring any special preparation for the coldest time of the year.

Pest and disease control

IN garden culture, as in nature, the ash tree practically does not get sick. The only thing that threatens the plant is improper planting.

Methods of propagation of dictamnus

Dictamnus is a very easy crop to propagate. It self-sows and grows so actively that new specimens can be obtained every year.

Propagation of ash by seeds

Seeds, preferably freshly collected. To prevent seeds from scattering, you need to constantly monitor the plant in August, because they crack literally in a matter of days. For this crop, sowing immediately after harvest directly into open soil is more suitable. There are also alternative methods– sowing before winter or in mid-spring, but some of the seeds may germinate only after a year. Dictamnus is sown on seedbeds, and not in a permanent place. Seedlings that appear in spring are pricked out, leaving 15 cm between plants and grown with at least infrequent watering for 2-3 years (dictamnus will bloom only 3-4 years after sowing, so there is no need to rush to transfer it to a permanent place).

Reproduction of ash tree by dividing the bush

For this method, it is critical to adhere to deadlines: if you divide ash bushes in the summer or in hot weather, you will not be able to save parts of the plant. Therefore, the procedure for separating curtains must be carried out not only by reliably protecting your hands with gloves, but also strictly adhering to favorable period: early spring until the third decade of May or autumn, exclusively in September. In order for the cuttings to take root, they must be large, and in the new place the plants will have to be provided with abundant watering.

Propagation of ash tree by cuttings

In ash, non-lignified, young shoots easily take root, provided that after cutting they are treated with growth accelerators. You can root cuttings under hoods in boxes or pots, or in soil in greenhouses.

Fraxinella, or dictamnus, (Dictamnus) is a perennial plant of the Rutaceae family. The most known species ash tree: dittany(Dictamnus albus) and Caucasian ash tree(Dictamnus caucasicus). People call ash tree, bergenia, wild star anise. Yasenets is a rather unpretentious and very common plant throughout Russia.

The ash tree can grow up to one meter in height, its stems are densely pubescent with glandular hairs, and are erect. By the way, thanks to these hairs the ash tree got its second name: burning bush. The thing is that when they come into contact with the skin, these hairs release a substance that, under the influence sun rays may cause burns. Therefore, when working in a flower bed where ash trees grow, be careful and wear gloves.

They say that if you bring a burning match to an ash tree in hot, dry weather, a flame will break out. The ash tree is even written about in the Bible. During Moses' wanderings through the desert, the bushes of the burning bush that he encountered on his way flared up on their own. This is, of course, very possible under the scorching desert sun.

Otherwise, the plant is very attractive. Ash tree blooms in June. Pink or white ash flowers with red veins, very fragrant, collected in tall racemose inflorescences.

Growing ash

Seeds ash sow in open ground immediately after the seeds are ripe. In this case, seed germination is higher. Seeds can also be sown before winter or in spring. When sowing in autumn, seeds can germinate only after a year. Small seedlings are planted in a small school (or a greenhouse where the seeds are germinated), maintaining a distance of 10-15 cm between the nearest plants, grown for 3 years, and only then planted in a permanent place.

The ash tree blooms at a “mature” age, usually in the fourth year. He won't cause you any more problems. It will grow in one place for many, many years. In addition, ash can be propagated by dividing the bush. Its clumps are divided in early spring or autumn. In summer, ash tree can be propagated by green cuttings. For better rooting, cuttings can be treated with rooting stimulants and covered on top plastic bottle until complete rooting.

Landing location. Ash tree can grow well both in sunny areas and in partial shade. Ash tree grows and develops especially well on neutral or alkaline, moderately fertilized soils. Remember that ash tree does not like damp soil, so if you have a close location of underwater groundwater, then when planting ash in a permanent place, do not forget about drainage so that ash roots always remained in a dry layer of soil.

Ash tree care

Caring for ash is not difficult. Watering, weeding the soil from weeds, loosening the soil. If the soil under the plant is mulched, then both loosening and weeding will no longer be necessary. And in this case, watering will also be reduced. During flowering, it is recommended to fertilize with complex fertilizers with an alkaline reaction. .

Ash tree bloomsin June - July for 30-45 days. Ash curtains look very good in group plantings. In prefabricated flower beds, the ash tree needs to find the same drought-resistant plants, like himself: for example, kermek, heuchera, daylily, monarda, liatris.

Dittany can be grown in the garden and as a plant with beneficial properties. All parts of the plant, including the fruits, smell like lemon when crushed. The ash tree does not require any shelter for the winter.

By the way, photos of ash flowers can be used in the design of photo books. Do you know,

White ash likes to light things up. In the literal sense of the word. In sunny weather it can spontaneously combust! But there is no need to be afraid of this. It is above the ash bush that evaporating essential oils flare up. This does not harm the plant.

The growing area of ​​star anise is very extensive: mainland Europe, the Middle and Middle East, except the Arabian Peninsula, China, India, Mongolia. Here you can find him in Eastern Siberia, in the Far East and Altai.

It grows on dry sunny places, among light bushes, on rocky and grassy slopes, as well as in clearings of deciduous forest. But most often it can be found as an ornamental plant in the garden. Which is an extremely unsafe activity. Why? Find out a little below.

White ash is a perennial plant and shrub. It rarely grows above one meter in height. He has quite a powerful root system, from which numerous erect stems grow. The leaves are covered with many oil glands.

Flowering begins in the summer - in June-July, and the fruit boxes ripen in July-August. The flowers are small, colored pinkish-lilac or White color. Don't be surprised, but they smell like lemon. The fact is that they and the leaves contain essential oils, which evaporate quite intensively. And on hot sunny days they flare up with a blue flame over the bush. This does not cause any harm to the plant, since the combustion background itself is very low.

But white ash known not only for its “pyrotechnic show”, but also for painful burns, not during burning, but when touching the plant. The essential oil released by leaves, flowers and especially fruits is poisonous and can cause serious burns on contact. No wonder part of its name is translated from Latin as “punishing” - dictamnus. Therefore, do not approach it without gloves and under no circumstances smell the flowers! Get burns to the mucous membranes of your nasopharynx!

But that's not all. The catch is that the burn does not appear immediately, but after 12 hours. The skin at the site of contact begins to turn red and becomes covered with blisters, which then burst, exposing pieces of meat. Brrrrr..., unpleasant picture. The fact is that these essential oils contain substances that act as vesicants, like mustard gas. Over time, the burns will disappear, but the scars and marks will remain. This shrub poses a particular danger on sunny days, when there is intense release and evaporation of essential oils. On a cloudy day, the white one behaves more peacefully.

Despite its toxicity, this plant is widely used in folk medicine. Its root is used for skin diseases, a decoction of the root is used as an anthelmintic and antifever agent, for nervous disorders, to relieve bloating, etc. But it is prescribed very rarely, since its use should be treated quite carefully.

White ash tree (Dictamnus albus).

Other names: wild star anise, volcana, ash.

Description. Perennial plant of the Rutaceae family, up to 1-1.2 m in height. It has a highly branched root system. The stems of ash are erect, pubescent in the upper part and covered with black glands in the form of dots. The lower part of the stem is bare or almost bare.
The leaves are alternate, imparipinnate, consisting of 7-9 leathery, pubescent leaflets of an elongated elliptical shape, pointed at the end, finely serrated along the edge. Leaf length is 3-7.5 cm, width - 1.2-3.5 cm. Ash flowers are large, bisexual, irregular, collected in loose apical racemes. The petals are pale pink, white, purple with reddish or purple veins. The calyx is five-parted, glandular-pubescent. There are 10 stamens, which are bent downwards. The flowers have a lemon scent and contain a lot of essential oil.
White ash blooms in June-July. Fruit ripening is in August. The fruit is a capsule that, when ripe, splits into 5 separate fruitlets with 3-4 seeds. White ash grows in sunny, dry places, in light deciduous forests, among shrubs, and rarely in dense forests.
The plant is common in the south European Russia, in southern Siberia, the Caucasus, Altai and the Far East, Central Asia, China, Mongolia. The ash tree is propagated by seeds, dividing the bush, and cuttings.

Collection and preparation of raw materials. For medicinal purposes, the grass and roots of white ash are used and harvested. Ash grass is harvested during the flowering period, and the roots are harvested in the fall, after the fruits ripen.
When harvesting grass, wear long sleeves and rubber gloves. Contact of the grass with the skin can cause dermatitis, which develops 10-15 hours after contact with the grass. In some cases, blisters may even appear. In case of contact with grass, the skin must be washed with water for 30 minutes.
The collected grass is dried in the shade on outdoors or in a ventilated area. It can also be dried in a dryer at a temperature of no more than 35 degrees. Dried ash grass is stored in a dry place in tightly closed jars. Shelf life 1 year.

Composition of the plant. The grass and roots of white ash contain alkaloids (dictamnin, fagarin), dictamnolactone, bitter substances, saponins, furocoumarins, bergapten, essential oil. The roots contain sitosterols and fatty acids.

Useful properties, application, treatment.
White ash has diuretic, soothing, anthelmintic properties. Preparations of this plant are considered effective in the treatment of cystitis, pyelonephritis, kidney stones, algomenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, hysteria, insomnia, epilepsy, as an antipyretic.
Ash tree is also used for gastritis and flatulence. Externally, a decoction of the roots is used to treat eczema, lichen, baldness, nested hair loss, and varicose veins.

Dosage forms and doses.
Herbal infusion. 1 teaspoon of dry crushed white ash grass is poured with a glass of boiling water, left for 40 minutes, filtered. Take half a glass 2 rubles. per day (morning and evening).

Tincture of roots. Prepare a tincture with 70% alcohol in a ratio of 1:10. Leave for 10 days, filter. Take 40-50 drops in a small amount of water 3 times a day.

Root decoction. 1 teaspoon of dry crushed roots per 400 ml of water, boil for low heat 5 minutes, remove from heat, strain after cooling. Take the decoction inside half a glass 3 times a day. a day 20 minutes before meals. This decoction is also used externally in the form of compresses and washes.