Sanguisorba Japanese Burnet

A mouth-watering plant if ever there was one! The mid, grey-green leaves grow to form a lush, tidy mound of foliage. Throughout summer and into autumn it is crowned with elegant, slender stems of fluffy pink flowers that bow over time, as if weighed by their own beauty. This plant adds gorgeous movement and structure to the garden. It is so easy to grow and it just gets better year on year.

If you leave the flowers to stand, they turn bronzed shades in autumn and can last into winter.

The handsome, fine foliage of Sanguisorba obtusa is soft green with a blue blush and opens low on the stem. The leaves, when crushed smell of cucumber and can be used in cooking (salads and soups, they tastes a bit peppery, like celery, not recommended during pregnancy).

Plant Sanguisorba obtusa in borders or beds, when combined with tall grasses, it is stunning, as the foliage hides low to the ground, leaving the flowers to sway in the breeze. It looks especially good with yellow tinged foliage.

Grow Sanguisorba obtusa in a cottage garden for late season colour. Grow in full sun to semi shade in moderately fertile, to humus rich, well drained soil – it is quite obliging and adaptable and can even cope in heavy soils. Water to establish (this means water regularly for around 4-6 weeks so they have time to settle in) and keep moist in active growth. Protect new growth from slugs and snails. Remove spent foliage before spring to make way for the fresh growth.

Sanguisorba are commonly known as Burnet, Sanguisorba obtusa is commonly known as Japanese Burnet or Japanese Bottlebrush.