Burnet is a plant genus with different species native to parts of Asia, Europe, and North America. American burnet, an easy-to-grow perennial with a loose, open habit, is native to the northeast and northwest of North America. It is listed as a threatened or endangered species in nine U.S. States. The upright, tall, bottlebrush-like flower spikes are white or pale green and appear from August through October. The foliage turns reddish-yellow in the fall, contrasting beautifully with the flower spikes. A plant for meadows and naturalized planting areas, it pairs well with ornamental grasses and other native flowering plants. Burnet can also be used to fill in open spaces at the base of taller perennials.
Burnet Overview
Where to Plant American Burnet
Plant burnet in a location with full sun and naturally moist soil that can range from mildly acidic to mildly alkaline.
Plant it together with native grasses and other native perennials in a meadow-style or naturalistic garden. Rain gardens in full sun are also a good place because of the plant’s preference for moist soil.
Mass plantings or groupings of American burnet are especially attractive. In a border, plant it towards the back as it gets quite tall.
How and When to Plant American Burnet
To plant a potted burnet that you purchased from a nursery, dig a hole about twice the diameter of the pot and about the same depth. Place the plant in the hole and fill in original soil to the top of the root ball. Gently tamp down the soil and water it well. Keep it well-watered for the first week weeks until the plant is established.
Space plants 2 to 3 feet apart.
American Burnet Care Tips
Burnet is a care-free and easy-to-grow native plant.
Light
American burnet needs full sun to thrive.
Soil and Water
In its natural habitat, American burnet grows in moist and even wet, swampy, boggy soil. The plant adapts to soil pH in the range of 5.8 to 7.5.
You can plant burnet in a location that is not naturally wet but then you’ll need to water regularly, especially during dry spells.
Temperature and Humidity
American burnet is quite winter hardy down to Zone 4, but it is not well-suited for hot, dry climates. It does not have any humidity preferences.
Fertilizer
Because this is a prairie plant, fertilization is usually not required. At the most, scatter a layer of compost around the plants in the spring when the growing season starts.
Pruning
There is no need to prune burnet except for cutting it down in the late winter to make room for the new growth. But if you don't want the plant to spread by self-seeding, remove spent flowers as soon as they emerge. Cut the flower stalks back to the foliage with sharp pruners.
Potting and Repotting Burnet
Unless you use a large planter, growing burnet in a pot is not ideal because of the plant’s considerable height—it is prone to toppling over—and water needs, as container plants are drying out much faster than plants in garden soil.
Pests and Problems
The plant does not have any serious pest or disease issues.
How to Propagate American Burnet
Burnet can be propagated from seed or by division.
Divide a mature clump in early spring as soon as the foliage emerges. Use a sharp spade to divide the plants into smaller sections and replant them immediately at the same depth as the original plant. Water it well even if grown in moist soil to help the plant overcome the transplant shock.
American burnet can also be propagated from seed. The seeds need 60 days of cold moist stratification. This can be done by sowing it directly in a weed-free area in late fall or winter, or by starting the seeds in small pots or flats with potting soil outdoors. Press the seeds into the soil and cover them with a thin layer of soil. If there is no precipitation, water lightly without washing away the seeds.
Types of Burnet
Salad Burnet
Sanguisorba minor, also known as pimpernelle, is an edible perennial plant grown for its leaves with a cucumber-like flavor. The plant grows up to 2 feet tall and wide. If harvesting burnet for culinary use, snip the tender, young foliage in early spring when it has the best flavor. Older leaves are tough and bitter. Zone 4-8
Sanguisorbia tenufolia var. purpurea
This burnet varietyt is native to Russia, Japan, and northern China and you might find it under the common name Japanese burnet or Siberian burnet. From August to September, it sends up deep wine-colored bottlebrush-like flower spikes on 4-foot plants. Zone 4-8
Sanguisorba tenuifolia v. alba
Unlike other popular ornamental varieties of burnet, bottlebrush-like flowers are nodding or drooping and not upright. The foliage is delicate and fern-like. It is also known as white Japanese burnet. Zone 4-8
American Burnet Companion Plants
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea, the purple coneflower, is the most commonly found Echinacea species. The big blooms of this native perennial flower are made up of a brownish-orange central cone and a ring of long, slender petals with a pinkish-purple hue radiating out from it. Purple coneflower is a popular choice for pollinator gardens, cottage gardens, and meadows. Zone 3-9
Black-Eyed Susan
From midsummer to early fall, these tough native plants bloom their golden heads off in sun or light shade and mix well with other perennials, annuals, and shrubs. Add Rudbeckia hirta to wildflower meadows or native plant gardens for a naturalized look. Zone 3-11
Queen of the Prairie
Filipendula rubra, also called meadowsweet, picks up the floral show in your garden when spring-blooming perennials peter out. In midsummer, cloudlike clusters of pink or white blooms rise above the ferny, toothed leaves of this North American native. Although the fluffy flower stalks look delicate, this tall, sturdy perennial will stand up to wind and a variety of tough soil conditions. Its flowers hold their color and shape for three weeks or more, moving the garden from mid to late summer. Zone 3-8
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do burnet plants spread?All burnet types spread moderately by the plant’s rhizomes, which in the tall, ornamental burnet varieties are rather woody. It also tends to spread by self-seeding.
All burnet types spread moderately by the plant’s rhizomes, which in the tall, ornamental burnet varieties are rather woody. It also tends to spread by self-seeding.
- Is burnet an herb?Not all burnets are edible, the only burnet grown for eating is salad burnet. It is added to salads in small amounts and used mostly as an herb.
Not all burnets are edible, the only burnet grown for eating is salad burnet. It is added to salads in small amounts and used mostly as an herb.