Diptam – When a Plant Catches Fire

Diptam – An Extraordinary Plant for the Garden

The Diptam is a unique plant in the garden. Although it is not yet very common here, it is truly a hidden gem!

Anyone looking to enrich their garden with a special plant should definitely consider the Diptam. Not only does it look extraordinary, but it also fills the garden with a captivating fragrance.

With a Diptam in the garden, it will never be boring. The plant produces beautiful light pink flowers in the summer that grow in clusters on strong stems. A special feature of the flowers: they are zygomorphic. This means that the flower consists of two exactly identical and symmetrical parts. And as if that weren't special enough, the flowers of the Diptam emit a pleasant scent of vanilla and lemon. This plant is truly unique!

The most fascinating feature of the Diptam is due to the scent of its flowers. On sultry, warm days, the plant releases its essential oils so intensely that the Diptam's flower literally catches fire. In the twilight, you can see bluish flames at the edge of the flower. On completely windless days, the flowers can even be ignited by hand. And if you're wondering: why would a plant destroy itself? Don’t worry: the Diptam doesn't suffer any damage from the flames, even when the flowers are ignited by hand.

Like most beautiful plants, the Diptam should be handled with caution. The pleasantly scented essential oils of the plant can not only catch fire, but also cause painful skin irritations. This occurs only in sensitive individuals, but the skin irritation resembles burn blisters and can remain visible for a long time. This condition is called photodermatitis and is triggered when the affected areas are exposed to UV rays.