How to Grow Sanguisorba: 7 Best Types in the UK

Sanguisorba is the plant to grow if you want flowers that seem to float. Its small bobbles sit on wiry stems so thin they hover above the border, bobbing through a haze of grasses. Give it soil that stays moist and a sunny spot, and it asks for very little else.

Gardeners also call it burnet. There are tall border kinds, a compact one for small spaces, a native British wildflower and a fluffy pink one that’s very popular online. This guide covers seven of the best, the one rule that keeps them happy, and how to use them in a planting scheme.

What is sanguisorba and why do designers love it?

Sanguisorba is a hardy herbaceous perennial, meaning it dies down in winter and comes back each spring. It makes neat clumps of toothed, fern-like leaves low down. Above those it sends up thin, branching stems topped with small bottlebrush flowers.

The appeal is movement. The stems are so fine that the flowers seem to drift free of the plant. That see-through quality is why it is a favourite in prairie and naturalistic planting, where it is woven through grasses.

Flower shape varies. Some kinds carry short, dark oval bobbles. Others have long, soft, drooping tails. That range lets one group of plants do many jobs.

Don’t confuse it with salad burnet, the small kitchen herb with cucumber-flavoured leaves. That’s a different, much shorter plant.

Which sanguisorba is best for UK gardens?

For most gardens, ‘Red Thunder’ is the safe first choice. Here are seven worth growing. Match the height and flower shape to your space.

Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) is the native British species. It carries small, dark crimson bobbles on branching stems to about 1-1.2m. It grows wild in damp meadows and pairs beautifully with meadow grasses.

‘Red Thunder’ is a popular border form of great burnet. It grows to about 1.2m with rich crimson bobbles.

‘Tanna’ is the compact choice at about 60cm. It makes a tidy mound topped with short dark-red bobbles, ideal for small gardens and the front of a border.

Sanguisorba obtusa has fluffy pink tails rather than tight bobbles. The soft plumes arch and nod on plants up to about 1m. It can spread, so give it room.

‘Lilac Squirrel’ (Sanguisorba hakusanensis) has long, drooping, fluffy lilac-pink tails, like a squirrel’s tail. It is looser and shorter than the tall border types.

‘Cangshan Cranberry’ is the giant, reaching around 2m in a good spot. It carries dark cranberry bobbles and flowers on into autumn. It needs room and some support.

Sanguisorba menziesii flowers earlier than most, with reddish-purple bobbles from early summer. It is a neat, well-behaved choice to start the burnet season.

Gardener’s tip: Buy named kinds such as ‘Red Thunder’ as plants. They don’t come true from seed. Seed-raised great burnet is fine for a wild meadow area.

What soil and position does sanguisorba need?

Sanguisorba needs soil that stays moist, in full sun or light shade. Moisture is the one rule you can’t break. Great burnet grows wild in damp meadows, so it’s built for ground that never dries out. On dry sand it wilts and the leaf edges scorch brown.

Full sun gives the best flowers and the sturdiest stems. Light or dappled shade is fine, especially in drier parts of the south. Deep shade makes the plants stretch and flop.

Some kinds spread steadily by their roots. In a border this is rarely a problem, but keep an eye on it beside a small pond. If your ground is properly wet, the guide to plants for wet, boggy soil has more ideas.

Great burnet in a damp meadow, its natural home. That’s a good clue to the moist soil it wants in the garden.

When and how do you plant sanguisorba?

Plant in spring or autumn, when the soil is moist. Autumn planting, from September to November, lets roots settle before summer. Spring planting, from March to May, is better on cold, wet clay.

Dig a hole twice the width of the pot. Mix some garden compost into the soil you put back, then set the plant at the same depth it sat in the pot. Firm gently and water well.

Space border types such as ‘Red Thunder’ about 45cm apart, ‘Tanna’ about 30cm and ‘Cangshan Cranberry’ about 60cm. Groups of three or five look better than single plants dotted about.

Water through the first summer. A young plant that dries out often never bulks up properly. A mulch of compost around the plants helps hold moisture in.

Sanguisorba threaded through echinacea, rudbeckia and grasses. Planting in groups gives that drifting look.

Does sanguisorba need staking?

Most sanguisorba stands without staking if you grow it lean in full sun. The main reason it flops is soil that’s too rich. Heavy feeding pushes soft, tall growth that collapses in the first summer downpour.

The tallest types are the exception. ‘Cangshan Cranberry’ and some tall forms of great burnet benefit from a support ring or a few twiggy pea sticks. Put them in during spring, before the stems get tall, and the plant will soon hide them. The guide to staking tall perennials shows simple methods.

If a clump does sprawl, don’t feed it. Feeding makes the flopping worse. Water, not fertiliser, is what sanguisorba wants.

How to use sanguisorba with grasses

Sanguisorba is a key plant in prairie-style planting because you can see through it. Weave it through grasses so the bobbles seem to float in a haze, rather than planting it in a solid block.

The classic partners are Deschampsia and Molinia, airy grasses that like the same moist soil. The guide to growing Deschampsia covers the best varieties. Echinacea, veronicastrum, rudbeckia and late asters complete the scheme. The guide to prairie planting shows how to put a whole border together.

Repeat it for the best effect. Instead of one big clump, drop a group every few metres along the border. The eye follows the repeated bobbles and the planting reads as one flowing drift.

Sanguisorba rising through golden Deschampsia. Both like the same damp soil and look lovely together.

In a smaller garden, compact ‘Tanna’ gives the same effect at a lower height. A row of it along a raised bed brings the floating look down to courtyard scale.

Compact ‘Tanna’ edging a raised bed in a city courtyard. It’s the burnet for gardens without room for the giants.

Is sanguisorba good for wildlife?

Yes. The small flowers are easy for bees and hoverflies to feed from through summer, and the later kinds keep going when much else has finished.

Native great burnet grows wild in damp meadows and riverside grassland, a habitat that has become much rarer. Growing it in the garden echoes those meadows. If you’d like to try it in grass, the guide to making a wildflower meadow shows how.

Leaving the stems standing over winter also gives insects somewhere to shelter.

How do you care for sanguisorba through the year?

Once settled, sanguisorba needs very little: water in drought, cut back in late winter and divide every few years.

In summer, water well in dry spells. A wilting plant has usually run short of water, so give it a good soak and mulch. Skip the feed.

Leave the stems standing in autumn. The seed heads hold their shape and catch the frost. Cut everything to the base in February, before new shoots push through. For more plants that look good in winter, see the guide to plants with winter seedheads.

Frosty seed heads are worth keeping. Leave them until February for winter structure.

Dividing sanguisorba

Divide clumps every three or four years in spring to keep them flowering well. Crowded clumps flower less and the centre can die out.

Lift the whole clump with a fork on a mild day. Push two forks back to back into the middle and lever the clump apart. Replant the strong outer pieces straight away and water them in. Compost the tired centre.

Two forks back to back make light work of a tough clump. Keep the lively outer pieces and replant them.

Can you grow sanguisorba as a cut flower?

Yes. Sanguisorba is an airy cut flower that adds movement to a vase. It mixes well with grasses, dahlias and other late-summer flowers.

Cut stems in the cool of the morning, once the bobbles have coloured up but before they go over. Strip the lower leaves and stand them in deep water for a few hours before arranging.

It dries well too. Hang small bunches upside down somewhere warm and airy, out of direct sun. The guide to growing cut flowers shows how to plan a patch.

‘Lilac Squirrel’ has soft, drooping tails that look striking in a vase.

Common mistakes with sanguisorba

• Dry soil. It wilts and scorches. Plant in moist ground and water new plants well.
• Feeding. Rich soil makes it flop. Keep it lean.
• Late staking. Put supports in for tall types in spring, not once they’ve fallen over.
• Cutting back in autumn. You lose the winter seed heads. Wait until February.
• Too much shade. Plants stretch and lean. Give them sun or light shade.

Frequently asked questions

Is sanguisorba hard to grow?

No, it is easy as long as the soil stays moist. It is fully hardy and needs little care. The most common problem is dry ground, which scorches the leaves and makes the plant wilt. Give it a damp spot in sun or light shade.

Does sanguisorba need staking?

Most types stand unaided if grown lean in full sun. Rich, overfed soil gives soft growth that flops in wind and rain. The tallest, such as ‘Cangshan Cranberry’, may need a few discreet supports put in early in spring.

When should I plant sanguisorba?

Plant in spring or autumn, when the soil is moist. Autumn planting lets roots settle before summer. Spring suits cold, wet clay better. Either way, water new plants well through their first summer.

Is sanguisorba good for wildlife?

Yes, the small flowers feed bees and hoverflies. Native great burnet grows wild in damp meadows and riverside grassland in parts of Britain. Leaving the seed heads standing over winter also gives shelter for insects in the border.

How do you look after sanguisorba in winter?

Leave the stems standing, then cut them to the base in February. The dried seed heads look lovely with frost on them. Cut back before the new shoots appear. Divide crowded clumps every three or four years in spring.

What grows well with sanguisorba?

Ornamental grasses are the classic partners. Deschampsia and molinia like the same moist soil and let the bobbles float in a haze. It also mixes well with echinacea, veronicastrum, rudbeckia and late asters. Avoid drought-lovers like lavender.

Can you use sanguisorba as a cut flower?

Yes, it makes a lovely, airy cut flower and dries well. Cut stems in the cool of the morning once the flowers have coloured up. To dry them, hang small bunches upside down somewhere warm and airy.

Once your sanguisorba is settled, read the guide to ornamental grasses for UK gardens to pick its perfect partners, or browse the flowers and plants hub.