Great burnet

Sanguisorba officinalis

Great burnet is a tall plant with beautiful, round, red flowers. It grows in meadows and wetlands and is loved by many insects, especially bees!

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Great burnet has unique, deep reddish-purple, egg-shaped flower heads that resemble little bobbles on slender, upright stems. Its leaves are pinnate, meaning they look like a feather with many small leaflets arranged along a central rib, distinguishing it from many other meadow flowers.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderRosalesFamilyRosaceaeGenusSanguisorba

Great burnet

Interesting facts

In Japan, it's a cherished autumn symbol called 'Waremokou'.

Its scientific name, 'Sanguisorba', means 'blood stopper' in Latin!

The plant's distinctive flowers make it a favorite for floral arrangements.

You can eat its young leaves in salads or steep them for a refreshing tea.

Special abilities

Great burnet can thrive in damp, boggy meadows that other plants find too wet, helping it find open space.

It has compounds in its roots and leaves that traditionally helped stop bleeding, aiding human survival.

Its rich red flowers attract many types of insects, ensuring its reproduction and spreading seeds.

Measurements & details

Height: 30-100 cm
Spread: 30-60 cm
Flower Size: 1-3 cm
Bloom Season: Summer-early autumn
Edible: Yes
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

honey bee

Apis mellifera

visits flowers for nectar

pollinates

painted lady butterfly

Vanessa cardui

feeds on nectar from blooms

eaten by

red deer

Cervus elaphus

grazes on leaves and shoots

eaten by

common vole

Microtus arvalis

might eat roots or stems

Traits

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Cluster Flower

Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem.

Summer Blooming

Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.

Medicinal

Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.

Edible

Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.