Salad burnet

Salad Burnet

Botanical name: Sanguisorba minor

Life cycle: Perennial

Height: 40 cm

Position: Full sun / part shade

Soil preference: Well drained

Description

Salad burnet is a hardy herbaceous perennial growing to a height of approximately 40 cm. It grows in a rosette-forming clump with lacy, graceful foliage. The leaves are formed from pairs of mid-green, toothed leaflets. The flowers which appear in summer consist of tufted round balls of green and crimson.  The leaves have a nutty, cucumber flavour.

Uses

Culinary – The leaves add visual interest and flavour to salads, herb butters and soft cheeses. Use to flavour herb vinegar, salad dressing and to give a cooling effect to summer drinks and punch. The leaves contain vitamin C, B ad A, calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium. Leaves are best harvested when young before the plant flowers.

Medicinal – Salad burnet can be used medicinally to treat diarrhoea and relieve haemorrhoids. The leaves are an effective wound herb for stemming bleeding. The botanical name Sanguisorba officinalis comes from the Latin word ‘sanguis’ meaning blood, and ‘sorbeo’ meaning to staunch.

Cosmetic – Infuse leaves to make a facial wash for sunburn and troubled skin.

Growing conditions

Salad burnet prefers a moist, well-drained soil in a sunny to semi-shaded position. While salad burnet is quite drought tolerant it is best to keep it well watered if harvesting to eat otherwise the leaves become tough and bitter. Plant approximately 20 cm apart to create an effective ground cover. The flowers are very attractive to bees.  

9cm pot.

Organically grown plant in a biodegradable coir pot.