Great Burnet – 10 Seeds

Great Burnet Seeds. Great Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) is native throughout the cooler regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, northern Asia, and northern North America. It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 1 m tall, which occurs in grasslands, growing well on grassy banks.

A member of the rose family, it is a perennial and can survive for decades due to its extensive root system. This clump-forming perennial has oblong leaves and dense, maroon flower spikes in summer and autumn. The oval, crimson flower heads appear on long, green stalks, giving them the look of lollipops.

The great burnet is the big brother of the salad burnet or pimpernel. Similar to its smaller sibling, you can use it as a spicy wild herb, with a slightly milder taste.

Great Burnet Culinary Uses

• The young leaves, leaflets and unopened flower heads are added to salads, stir-fries and soups or used as a topping.
• Its mildly flavored leaves add a cucumber taste to salads.
• Dried leaves are made into a tea.

Great Burnet Medicinal Benefits

• Used for years in Chinese medicine to treat burns and skin ailments.
• Controls bleeding, reduces inflammation, promotes healing and destroys many pathogenic organisms.
• Internally for diarrhea, dysentery, ulcerative colitis, hemorrhoids, and abnormal uterine bleeding.
• Externally for burns, scalds, sores and skin diseases.
• An ingredient in Chinese formulas to treat cervical erosion.
• Dentifrice for periodontal disease.

Growing Great Burnet

• Great Burnet grows best in damp meadows on clay soils and in full sun or semi-shade where plants are important for a wide range of insect life such as bees.
• Seeds should be sown in autumn, either outside, where they are to flower, or in seed trays and covered lightly with compost.
• The seedlings, which are quick to develop, can be pricked out and grown on, for planting out later in the year.