Pronounced (approximate) dik-TAM-nus AL-bus
Dark rose veins branch across pale petals like fine pen strokes. Long stamens curve out from the flowers, which open along an upright stalk above divided leaves.
Close Gas Plant flowers show branching magenta veins and stamens curving out past the petals. Select the photograph to open the gallery.
Family Rutaceae
Life cycle Herbaceous perennial
Blooms Late spring to early summer
Height Usually 2–3 feet
Habitat Sunny open places, garden borders, and sites where plantings have persisted
Other common names
Burning Bush, Dittany, White Dittany
Explore reported observations on the sightings map.
Look for upright flowering spikes in sunny openings and established gardens in late spring or early summer. A clump can persist for years after planting. In North America its presence at a site does not, by itself, establish how it arrived.
The comparison photograph shows Winged Burning Bush, a woody shrub with red autumn leaves and small greenish flowers in spring. Gas Plant is an herb with compound leaves and prominent pink or white flowers. Both plants share the name “Burning Bush.”
Trace one dark vein outward from the throat of the flower. The petals spread unevenly around the curved stamens, and flowers that have yet to open remain in bud farther up the stalk.
Each compound leaf is made up of several leaflets on a shared stalk. The close-up shows their pointed tips and fine teeth. The foliage belongs to the rue family, which also includes citrus.
A plant sends up several leafy stems from the base. From a distance, the flowering shoots look like separate spikes. Closer views show the flowers attached individually along each stem.
Field photographs by Brian Woolman. Select a photograph to enlarge it.
16 field photographs. Select an image to enlarge it, or use Load more photos to see the rest.
Native to parts of Europe and Asia and introduced in North America. NC State Extension lists Michigan, New York, and Vermont. Its occurrence in gardens is more widespread than these records of introductions.
Documented U.S. records in the cited sources
MI, NY, VT
The sightings map shows submitted observations, which can include cultivated plants.
The name Gas Plant comes from volatile oils released by its flowers and developing fruits. On a hot, still day the vapors can be flammable. The visible clues for identification are the veins, curved stamens, and divided leaves.