Burnet

Airy and unusual-looking, the slender bottlebrush flowers of burnet make a graceful change of pace in beds and borders. The tiny flowers lack petals but have prominent stamens; they crowd into dense spikes that are good as cut flowers. Some species thrive in wet areas in meadows, and beside ponds and streams, where they can become invasive. Salad burnet belongs in the herb or vegetable gardens.

Light:

Sun,Part Sun

Zones:

3-9

Plant Type:

Perennial

Plant Height:

1-6 feet tall, depending on variety

Plant Width:

1-3 feet wide, depending on variety

Flower Color:

White, pink, or purple flowers, depending on variety, variegated leaves, depending on variety

Bloom Time:

Blooms late spring, summer, and early fall, depending on variety

Landscape Uses:

Containers,Beds & Borders

Special Features:

Flowers,Attractive Foliage,Cut Flowers,Attracts Butterflies,Tolerates Wet Soil,Easy to Grow

Top Varieties

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Dwarf burnet

(Sanguisorba minor) is a dwarf form with greenish flowers above wonderfully textured foliage. It grows 2 feet tall. Zones 4-8
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Canadian burnet

(Sanguisorba canadensis) bears fluffy-looking stalks of white flowers over blue-green foliage on 6-foot plants. Zones 3-8
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Japanese burnet

(Sanguisorba obtusa) bears clusters of pink flowers from mid- to late summer on 2-foot stems. Zones 4-8
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Plant It With

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Artemisia

In full sun, the finely cut silver foliage of 'Powis Castle' accentuates the deep maroon bottlebrush flowers of Japanese burnet.

Daylily

Red, gold, and mahogany daylilies contrast well with the cut leaves and white bottlebrush flowers of Canadian burnet. They enjoy similar conditions.

Monkshood

The upright spikes of dark blue common monkshood are handsome companions for white Canadian burnet in very light shade

Sedum

The robust pink heads and rounded gray green leaves of 'Matrona' held on maroon stems play off well against the pinnate leaves and deep red flowers of Japanese burnet.

Lobelia

The bright red spikes of cardinal flower show off well against white Canadian burnet in damp areas.

Propagation

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Seed
Division