Great burnet
Sanguisorba officinalis
Also called Burnet and Sanguisorba
Garden plant · PerennialsDark red bobbles on wire, two feet above the leaves — it reads as punctuation in a border rather than as a flower. It runs at the root, so give it room or lift it every few years.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 5 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Very hardy RHS H7, to -25°C
- Size
- 1.25 m tall · 0.3 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Europe and northern Asia
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsNothing recorded against it
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-09-11. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.