American Burnet Sanguisorba canadensis
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Poterium canadense
- Phonetic Spelling
- san-GWIS-or-ba ka-na-DEN-sis
- Description
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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:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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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
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Texture:
- Medium
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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
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Fruit:
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is dry. It does not split open when ripe.
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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.
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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.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Rain Garden
