With the incomparable diptam, a floral treasure moves into the garden, which offers a blazing spectacle of flowers on hot summer days. Even Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was fascinated by the unique perennial, which is traded as a historical rarity up to the present day. If you want to create your green realm off the beaten track, you can explore professional cultivation here. Answers to frequently asked questions show you the way.

The delicate flowers of the diptam can be white or pink in color

Table of Contents

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  1. care tips
  2. Which location is suitable?
  3. What soil does the plant need?
  4. When is flowering time?
  5. Cut diptam correctly
  6. pour diptam
  7. Fertilize diptam properly
  8. hibernate
  9. increase diptam
  10. Dittany in the pot
  11. Is Diptame Toxic?
  12. trivia
  13. Beautiful varieties
  14. care tips

    In a sunny spot with sandy-loamy, chalky soil, a diptam will rarely appear on your gardening to-do list. We have listed all the important reasons for taking care of the Burning Bush here:

    • In case of prolonged drought, water in the early morning or late evening
    • An organic start fertilization in the bed covers the nutrient requirement
    • Fertilize the perennial in the bucket every 4 weeks from May to August
    • The best time for pruning is late winter

    Aschwurz is given winter protection in a planter by wrapping the pot with jute, foil or garden fleece. A base made of wood or styrofoam is useful so that the cold does not settle in the root ball from below.

    Which location is suitable?

    Centuries of experience in cultivating this perennial leaves no doubt that it only achieves its optimum in a sunny location. The location should be warm and sheltered from the wind, so that a Burning Bush can prove on warm summer evenings how it got its name. In addition, a diptam prefers to extend its roots in loamy-sandy soil that is well-drained and calcareous in texture.

    What soil does the plant need?

    The diptam likes to take on problematic locations in your garden and decorates them for many years. Wherever the earth is rich in lime and poor in oxygen, an ash root feels in good hands. The soil should be loamy-sandy and moderately dry, as can be the case at the edge of woods, the rock garden or the rocky steppe.

    When is flowering time?

    From June to July, the diptam presents its flower clusters on the upright, solid stalk. The impressive effect is not limited to the exclusive look, because the perennial exudes an intoxicating scent of vanilla and lemon. The pinnate, oval leaves accentuate the summery blooms in rich dark green.

    Cut diptam correctly

    Do not cut off the withered flower stalks, because the autumn fruit clusters are also a feast for the eyes. Only in late winter is a diptam cut off to just above the ground to make room for fresh shoots. Please consider toxicity with any pruning. Wearing gloves and long-sleeved clothing protects you from unpleasant skin irritations.

    pour diptam

    They will rarely arm themselves with the watering can to water a diptam. The perennial only requires a good sip of water in the event of prolonged drought. Use regular tap water, because the lime it contains is welcome in an Ashroot.

    Fertilize diptam properly

    In the bed, the perennial is satisfied with an organic initial fertilization in spring. The nutrient reserves are used up more quickly in the bucket, so that a Burning Bush receives a liquid fertilizer every 30 days from May to August. Please note that complete fertilizers that emphasize nitrogen, such as blue grain, do not suit a diptam. Compost, bark humus, horse manure and plant manure completely cover the need.
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    hibernate

    Ashroot has a robust frost hardiness that makes any precautions for a healthy overwintering superfluous. However, if a diptam thrives in a bucket, place the container on a block of wood before the first frost. A winter coat made of jute, fleece or foil keeps the frost away from the root ball.

    increase diptam

    Propagation and rejuvenation go hand in hand on a diptam. You can dig up the perennial either in spring or autumn. On this occasion, diseased and rotten root strands are cut out. After the worn-out soil has been shaken off, place the rhizome ball on a solid surface. With a sharp knife, cut the perennial into two or more segments. Plant these at the new location so deep that the previous planting depth is maintained and water on. So that a section actually turns into an adult burning shrub, there should be at least 2 eyes from which the budding takes place.

    Dittany in the pot

    Around the pot, a diptam celebrates its elegant fireworks of flowers on the sunny, warm terrace and the south-facing balcony. Choose commercially available pot plant soil as a substrate, which is thinned out with sand and lava granules (€13.99). A drainage made of potsherds or gravel prevents harmful waterlogging at the bottom of the pot. The relevant care measures at a glance:

    • Water moderately with regular tap water in the early morning or late evening
    • Avoid waterlogging by emptying the coaster promptly
    • Apply a liquid fertilizer every 30 days from May to August
    • Cut back close to the ground in early spring

    Since the root ball behind the relatively thin walls of the pot is helplessly at the mercy of the frost, the pot is covered with jute, bubble wrap or fleece. In addition, push a block of wood or another cold-insulating material under the bucket.

    Is Diptame Toxic?

    Due to its exorbitantly high content of alkaloids, essential oils and other ingredients, diptame is classified as toxic. In the family garden, the flaming spectacle of flowers should therefore be avoided for reasons of caution. When planting and tending, we recommend wearing protective gloves and long-sleeved clothing, as phototoxic skin reactions can occur.

    trivia

    There's a solid reason why the perennial is called the Burning Bush. On hot summer days, a diptam evaporates such a large amount of essential oils that they can self-ignite as a result of a magnifying glass effect. The result is a deflagration without the perennial actually burning. A magical spectacle is presented at dusk at the end of a hot summer's day, when seemingly blue flames flicker over the blossoms when there is no wind.

    Beautiful varieties

    • Albiflorus: White-flowering, historic variety that has won the hearts of gardeners since 1893; Growth height 80-100 cm
    • Burning Bush: Boasts pink-white flowers that blaze like small flames on hot days; Growth height 80-100 cm
    • Purpureus: Elegant look in June and July thanks to luxuriant clusters of flowers in an enchanting crimson pink; Growth height 80 cm
    • Level: Thanks to the compact habit, white-flowering cultivation is recommended for containers; Growth height 60-80 cm

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