Dictamnus albus L.

A perennial plant. It has a woody base. It grows 45-90 cm high and 45-60 cm wide. It forms clumps. The leaves are divided and dark green. They are made up of 6 pairs of leaflets. When crushed they have a lemon smell. The flowers are white and on long stalks. The flowers can also be pink. The fruit is a star shaped seed pod. There are some named cultivated varieties. The plant varies in the shape, size and number of leaflets.

It is a temperate plant. It is frost hardy. It grows on dry stony ground. It does better on alkaline soil. It does best in a sunny location. It needs a moist, humus-rich soil. In Pakistan it grows between 2,300-3,500 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 3-10.

CAUTION: The roots contain toxic alkaloids. It is used in medicine. The dried leaves are used to make a tea like drink. The roots are used for flavouring and occasionally as bitters in alcoholic drinks. The flowering aerial parts are used for making liqueur.

The plant can be grown from seed. It can also be grown by division of the bush.