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Sanguisorba officinalis - L.

Common Name Great Burnet
Family Rosaceae
USDA hardiness 4-8
Known Hazards Best avoided during pregnancy in view of the lack of information about toxicity. Suggested that the herb may interact with the group of allopathic medications known as fluoroquinolones [301].
Habitats Meadows and wet grassy places by streams[187]. Moist shady sites in grassland, on siliceous soils[7, 13, 17].
Range Europe, including Britain, from celand south and east to Spain, temperate Asia to Iran, China, Japan
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (3 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Wet Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Sanguisorba officinalis Great Burnet


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Sanguisorba officinalis Great Burnet
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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Sanguisorba officinalis is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.6 m (2ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, flies, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry moist or wet soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Poterium officinale. Sanguisorba microcephala. Sanguisorba officinalis ssp. microcephala. Sanguisor

Habitats

 Meadow; Bog Garden;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves
Edible Uses: Tea

Young leaves and flower buds - raw or cooked[13, 61, 105]. They should be harvested in the spring before the plant comes into flower[9]. A cucumber flavour[7, 46], they can be added to salads or used as a potherb[183]. The fresh or dried leaves are used as a tea substitute[183].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Anodyne  Antidiarrhoeal  Astringent  Contraceptive  Diuretic  Dysentery  Eczema  Febrifuge  
Haemostatic  Tonic  Vulnerary

Great burnet is employed mainly for its astringent action, being used to slow or arrest blood flow. It is taken both internally and externally internally and is a safe and effective treatment. Modern research in China has shown that the whole herb heals burns more effectively than the extracted tannins (the astringent component of the plant)[254]. Patients suffering from eczema showed marked improvement when treated with an ointment made from the root and petroleum jelly[254]. The leaves are astringent, refrigerant, styptic and tonic[7, 218, 222]. They are used in the treatment of fevers and bleeding[218, 222]. The plant is prevented from flowering and then the leaves are harvested in July and dried for later use[4, 238]. The root is anodyne, astringent, diuretic, febrifuge, haemostatic, tonic and vulnerary[4, 7, 9, 21, 147, 165, 176, 178, 218]. It is used in the treatment of peptic ulcers, haematuria, menorrhagia, bloody stool, dysentery, diarrhoea, haemorrhoids and burns[176]. The root is harvested in the autumn as the leaves die down and dried for later use[4, 238]. All parts of the plant are astringent, but the root is most active[4]. Great burnet is an excellent internal treatment for all sorts of abnormal discharges including diarrhoea, dysentery and leucorrhoea[4]. It is used externally in the treatment of burns, scalds, sores and skin diseases[238]. This species was ranked 19th in a Chinese survey of 250 potential anti-fertility plants[218].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Tannin

The roots contain tannin[7].

Special Uses

Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[1]. Prefers a good moist soil that does not dry out in the summer, in sun or partial shade[187, 200]. Plants grow tolerably well in very poor soils and likes a dry chalky soil[4]. This species is hardy to about -25°c[187]. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 8 through 1. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread [1-2]. The root pattern is rhizomatous with underground stems sending roots and shoots along their length [1-2].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

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Propagation

Seed - sow spring or autumn in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out as soon as they have reached a reasonable size. The seed can also be sown in situ in early spring[4]. Division in the spring or in autumn[4].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

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Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Sanguisorba annuaPrairie BurnetAnnual/Biennial0.6 -  LMHSNM11 
Sanguisorba canadensisAmerican Great Burnet, Canadian burnetPerennial1.2 4-8  LMHSNM10 
Sanguisorba menziesiiMenzies' burnetPerennial1.2 -  LMHSNMWe11 
Sanguisorba minorSalad Burnet, Small burnetPerennial0.6 4-8  LMHNM423
Sanguisorba obtusaJapanese burnetPerennial1.0 4-9 MLMHSNMWe10 
Sanguisorba stipulata Perennial2.0 4-8  LMHSNMWe11 
Sanguisorba tenuifolia Perennial1.2 4-8  LMHSNMWe10 

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

17200

Links / References

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Readers comment

Lukasz Luczaj   Sun Mar 10 20:47:00 2002

Dried and ground roots of Sanguisorba officinalis, Butomus umbellatus, Lilium martagon, Lilium spectabile and Typha latifolia were made into flour by Yakuts of Siberia. It was added to a dish called 'butugas'. Source: Maurizo A. 1926 "Pozywienie roslinne i rolnictwo w rozwoju dziejowym", Warsaw. Maurizo quoted the following original source: Sieroszewski W. 1900. "12 lat w kraju Jakutow", Warsaw.

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