Sanguisorba officinalis Seeds | Root Burnet
LATIN NAME: Sanguisorba officinalis
COMMON NAME: Burnet
Plant Profile
Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) is a perennial in the rose family. Burnet raises its small, dark-red, rounded flower heads above pinnate leaves, and the whole plant stands in the neat, leafy clumps. It is a plant of open, sunny, deep, moist, well-drained ground. The flowers pull in pollinating insects, which quietly widens its usefulness in the garden. Put simply, this is a rewarding species for anyone willing to give it a suitable spot.
Science & Biotechnology
Great burnet root (di yu) is a standard Chinese Pharmacopoeia drug for stopping bleeding, above all in burns, haemorrhoids and bloody dysentery — a reputation its chemistry supports: the root is exceptionally rich in tannins (sanguisorbin, ziyuglycosides), and tannin-rich burn dressings genuinely contract tissue and reduce fluid loss, though systemic absorption of tannins from large burns is itself a hepatotoxicity caution that modern burn care respects. The bottlebrush crimson flower spikes make it equally at home in the prairie border.
Like other members of the rose family, Sanguisorba officinalis draws steady attention from botanists and plant breeders, who value the genus both as a subject of research and as a source of garden-worthy material. The upshot for anyone sowing it is reassurance — cultivated stock of this plant has a long, well-documented track record.
Uses & Benefits
In the garden, Burnet earns its place in borders, containers and mixed plantings, and it also rewards growers who raise plants for cutting, drying or kitchen use. Burnet is a fine, quiet plant of border and study collection. It is a fine, quiet plant of open, sunny, deep, moist, well-drained garden. Give young plants deep, moist bed, and rounded heads will rise through the summer. Beyond the establishment year, its needs are simple and few.
Burnet root, Di Yu, is a classical Chinese astringent herb for bleeding and burns, and salad burnet is a cucumber-flavored heirloom salad herb; the bottlebrush flowers are pollinator-friendly garden stars.
Growing from Seed
Burnet is one of those generous plants that come along well from seed. Broadcast the seed thinly over a fine, free-draining compost, sieve a little more compost on top, and water with a fine rose. Grow the youngsters on steadily in pots until well rooted, then move them to their final positions.
Our Take
Few garden plants carry such a documented history of use as this one does. Burnet is the kind of plant that rewards a permanent spot. Careful watering early on is rewarded by toughness at maturity.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Burnet often pair it with these related subjects: