Burning-bush (Dictamnus dasycarpus) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Burning-bush has showy, purple-veined flowers, but this East Asian plant is a herb rather than a shrub. The closely related European burning bush (Dictamnus albus) shares this name in the United States.

Appearance

Growth form: This perennial grows about 16–39 in (40–100 cm) tall from a thick root.
Leaves: Each leaf has 7–13 toothed leaflets with tiny translucent oil dots.
Flowers: Five pinkish-white to pink petals carry purple lines, while ten stamens extend beyond the flower.
Fruit: The fruit splits into five sections and releases glossy black seeds when ripe.

Look-alikes

Dictamnus albus

Flower and leaf photos may not separate these close relatives. European burning bush is native farther west, and the two have sometimes been classified together; for cultivated plants, check the plant label or origin.

Why they get mixed upThe two names have been treated as separate species and as one species in different references.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: sunny grasslands in East Asia
sunny mountain slopes in Korea
Range: It is native from southeastern Siberia through China to Korea. It is not a native U.S. wildflower.
Preferred conditions: It grows mainly in temperate climates.

Life cycle

Reproduction: Seeds develop after the flowers fade.

Cautions

Cautions: Ingestion of preparations made from the root has been linked to severe liver injury. Do not treat it as a do-it-yourself herb.

Name and classification

About the name: Some classifications treat this East Asian plant as a subspecies of European burning bush.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

Culture and stories

Culture and stories: The dried root bark has a long history in East Asian medicine.

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