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American Burnet Sanguisorba canadensis

Other Common Name(s):

Previously known as:

  • Poterium canadense
Phonetic Spelling
san-GWIS-or-ba ka-na-DEN-sis
Description

American Burnet is a native wildflower typically found in bogs, along rivers, seepage slopes, swamps, wet meadows, and thickets.  Its whiteish flowers are in the form of cylindrical spikes that appear at the upper portion of the stems.  The flowers are dense and form around the central axis of the spike.  The flowers do not have petals, each has a calyx with 4 spreading lobes, 4 long stamens, and a pistil.  Its stamens give the spikes a fuzzy appearance.  Each fall, the flowers are replaced by capsules, where 1 seed has been produced.  

The botanical name Sanguisorba comes from the plants' reputation as a plant that can stop bleeding.  Sanguisorba means 'blood stauncher'.  Sangui (or sanguine) means 'red blood', Sorba is defined as 'to staunch'.  

In many areas in the USA where this is considered a native plant, the current status is listed as rare to extremely rare.  Listed as threatened to endangered.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#native perennial#wetlands#NC native#deer resistant#thickets#native wildflower#NC Native Pollinator Plant#wet soils tolerant#boggy sites
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#native perennial#wetlands#NC native#deer resistant#thickets#native wildflower#NC Native Pollinator Plant#wet soils tolerant#boggy sites
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Sanguisorba
    Species:
    canadensis
    Family:
    Rosaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Root Cutting
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    North America
    Distribution:
    AK, CT, DC, DE, GA, ID, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, TN, VA, VT, WA, WV
    Wildlife Value:
    Attracts pollinators
    Play Value:
    Attractive Flowers
    Attracts Pollinators
    Buffer
    Defines Paths
    Textural
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Native Plant
    Wildflower
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Soil Texture:
    High Organic Matter
    Soil Drainage:
    Frequent Standing Water
    Moist
    Occasional Flooding
    NC Region:
    Mountains
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    The fruit is dry. It does not split open when ripe.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Spike
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Flower Description:
    Small white flowers in dense spikes on branched stems. Spikes may reach 2-8" long and 1" wide. Flowers lack petals but have a calyx with 4 lobes and 4 long showy stamens.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Rosulate
    Leaf Shape:
    Oblong
    Pinnatifid
    Leaf Margin:
    Dentate
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Large, 1.5' long basal leaves. Divided into 7 to 15 oblong, sharply toothed leaflets, each 1"-2.5" long and .5"-1.25" wide. The leaves are located on the lower half of a plant. The lower side of each leaf is a slightly lighter shade of green than the upper side.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Surface:
    Smooth (glabrous)
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Theme:
    Native Garden
    Rain Garden