Great Burnet Plant Care
Sanguisorba officinalis L.
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Sanguisorba officinalis, commonly known as great burnet, is a plant in the family Rosaceae, subfamily Rosoideae. It is native throughout the cooler regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, northern Asia, and northern North America.
Every 7–10 days
Full sun to part shade
50–80°F
40–70%
At a glance
How do you care for Great Burnet?
Water Great Burnet every 7–10 days, letting the top layer of soil dry out between waterings, and give it full sun to part shade. It prefers temperatures of 50–80°F (10–27°C) and 40–70% humidity. Fertilize it every 6 months during the growing season.
What Is the Great Burnet?
Great Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) belongs to the Rosaceae family within the Sanguisorba genus. Great Burnet is also known as Salad Burnet, Burnet.
Great Burnet displays an upright, clumping perennial growth habit, reaching up to 3 ft tall with a spread of approximately 2 ft. Great Burnet produces unique bottlebrush-like flowers in red, pink, or white.
Leaf size: approximately 6 inches.
How Often Should You Water a Great Burnet?
Sanguisorba officinalis requires watering every 7–10 days. Allow the top layer of soil to dry between waterings to prevent root rot. Reduce watering frequency during winter when growth slows.
Watering Frequency
Every 7–10 days
Let soil partially dry between waterings
What Light Does the Great Burnet Need?
Great Burnet thrives in full sun to part shade.
Light Requirement
Full sun to part shade
What Temperature and Humidity Does the Great Burnet Prefer?
Sanguisorba officinalis grows best at temperatures of 50–80°F. Great Burnet prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.
Temperature
50–80°F
Humidity
40–70%
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Great Burnet?
Well-draining loamy soil with added organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Great Burnet to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Often Should You Fertilize a Great Burnet?
Feed Great Burnet every 6 months during the growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced fertilizer diluted to the strength on the label.
Pause feeding in autumn and winter, when growth slows, and never fertilize dry soil — water first.
Fertilizing
Every 6 months
During the growing season
The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.
How Do You Repot a Great Burnet?
Divide and repot every 2-3 years in early spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Great Burnet?
Great Burnet can be propagated through division, seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to salad burnet plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Great Burnet Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Great Burnet, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Great Burnet?
Great Burnet is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, powdery mildew. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
What USDA Hardiness Zone Does the Great Burnet Need?
Great Burnet grows outdoors in USDA Zone 12a. It survives winters down to planting zone 12a. In cooler regions, grow Great Burnet as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.
Hardiness Zone
Zone 12a
Keep exploring plants
Great Burnet is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Sanguisorba genus — compare its care with other Sanguisorba species on PlantoScan.
Sanguisorba is part of the Rosaceae plant family — browse all Rosaceae genera and species.
Great Burnet thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
Related Plant Care Guides
Closely related plants with similar care requirements:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Sanguisorba officinalis L., family Rosaceae (first published in Sp. Pl. : 116 (1753)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Great Burnet, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Hardiness zone: USDA Zone 12a, calculated from the plant's minimum temperature.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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