The dittamo (Dictamnus albus) is a perennial plant belonging to the family of Rutaceae and it is to all intents and purposes to be considered an aromatic plant. One of its vulgar names is lemonella, due to the intense lemon aroma that is released by rubbing its leaves. The plant is of Mediterranean origin, the name derives from the Greek Dikti, a mountain on the island of Crete. Despite this etymological assonance, the Dictamnus albus not to be confused with the Cretan dictatorship (Origanum dictamnus), a different and native species of that area.
The dictamus is present and spontaneously arises throughout Italy, even if it is more concentrated in the sub-mountainous area of ​​the northern regions, while elsewhere it is more sporadic. It has numerous beneficial properties, but also some contraindications due to its particular essential oil, so it must be handled with due precautions

So let’s see everything there is to know about this plant.

Botanical characteristics of the dittamus

spontaneous dittamo
As mentioned, the dictamus is a perennial plant, suffruticose, with the basal portion more or less lignified. The stem is simple, not very branched, from 30 cm to 1 m high, hairless at the bottom and hairy at the top, where there are also numerous and large glands that secrete essential oil.
The essential oil of the dittamus is highly flammable, just the flame of a candle is enough to create a sort of small firework. Furthermore, this oil is highly irritating and on contact with the skin there can be strong inflammatory reactions, with the appearance of irritation and small blisters. For these reasons, the dictatorship also takes the name of burning plant.

Leaves

The lower leaves of the plant are simple, with a short petiole and have an obovate shape and an entire margin. The others are imparipinnate, with a serrated edge and a hairy underside. Due to the resemblance to the leaves of the ash tree, the dittamus plant is also called ash tree.
The peculiarity of the leaflets is that, if observed against the light, they have a pellucid punctuation, that is, they have semitransparent spots.

Flowers

dittamus flowers
The inflorescence is a simple raceme, rarely has 1 or 2 secondary branches. The calyx of the flower has 5 free sepals, lanceolate in shape and strongly hairy on the external surface. The corolla has 5 white petals veined with red or, rarely, all red, of which four facing upwards and one downwards. The stamens, 10 in number, are as long as the petals.
Flowering begins in summer and is popular with bees and other pollinating insects.

Fruits and seeds

The fruit is a capsule which when ripe divides into 5 parts each containing 2-3 seeds. These have an oval-elongated shape, with a smooth surface.

How to cultivate the dittamus

dittamo
The dittamus grows spontaneously but it is also possible to grow it in the garden. This is a widely used practice, above all because of the beauty of its flowers and, in particular, for the aroma that pleasantly saturates the environment on summer evenings. However, it can only be grown by the most experienced gardeners, who know how to handle it and avoid the severe skin irritation problems caused by the essential oil. The plant loves sunny locations and a temperate climate, and suffers from too dry and hot seasons. Furthermore, it grows well in loose soils and with a good supply of organic matter. However, even in the most difficult soils, such as calcareous ones, it can be at ease.

Sowing of the dittamus

The dittamus reproduces from seed and sowing takes place in late summer or early autumn, when the seeds are ripe. It is not easy to find the seeds, even if several hybrid varieties have been developed, more adapted to home cultivation. Failing that, however, you can collect the seeds of the spontaneous plants you meet around, at the right time. When touching the dittamo always use protective gloves.
The sowing must be done in small pots, which, during the winter, must be kept protected in one small balcony greenhouse (like this one) or in a closed place.
In spring, then, the small seedlings are transplanted, which need about 30 cm of space between each other. These should only be watered at the beginning of the crop cycle, if there is not enough natural rainfall.

Cultural care

In winter, the plant enters vegetative rest and dries up the green parts. To promote underground storage, the stem can be cut at the base. In addition, for better protection from the winter cold, a layer of natural mulch with straw.
In the following spring the vegetation restarts from the previously cut base.

Collection and conservation

For the domestic use of the dittamus, the flowering tops are collected at the beginning of the anthesis, which, as mentioned, occurs in summer. The stems should be cut, a few centimeters below the lowest flower. The tops must be gathered in bunches that are not too tight and left to dry in a shaded and ventilated place. When completely dry, they can be kept in paper or jute bags.

Properties and uses of the dictamus

The dittamus it has always been considered a medicinal plant rich in beneficial properties. The main properties exploited in herbal medicine are those antispasmodic, digestive and stimulants of the peripheral circulation.
For home use, the plant is employed in the form of herbal tea, as a comforting, stimulating and digestive drink. Just use 1 g of dry matter in 100 ml of water.
In the kitchen, due to its intense aroma, it is mainly used to flavor liqueurs and sweets. An excellent match is with game dishes, which the dictamus softens by their very strong flavor.

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Philip Owell

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