I have a dwarf one, can't remember the cultivar but the flowers are pinky-purple. I bought it for the unusual foliage, I don't like the flowers all that much. It's a pretty tough plant, based on the fact I've moved/divided it many times, it always rebounds nicely. I have it in well-draining loamy soil, can't comment on how it would do in wet situations, but it tolerates drier conditions not too badly -- can get crispy if too dry but doesn't go dormant or outright die if it's too dry.

I planted some years ago in several places. They have done OK - where they are is not particularly wet but I see that they are often listed as suitable for wet meadows and marshland, so give it a try and see how it does!

I planted tall Japanese burnet seedlings for the first time last year. Even though my experience is limited, I thought it might be helpful because we had a severe drought last year. All of last year’s seedlings got supplemental water during the drought. The plants in a bed with ample compost, peat, etc, and good mulch came back this year fantastically and are about to bloom. The ones in a bed that with soil that really needs some TLC and pitiful mulch did poorly. Some survived, but they are not nearly as healthy as the others. Thankfully, we’ve had ample rain this year, allowing them to recover some.

So, I have limited experience, but so far it seems like they behave similar to other moisture-loving plants—if the soil is rich and can hold moisture with nice mulch, they seem happy. I have no experience with them in a truly wet situation, just standard perennial beds.

Maybe you want to start a new post with plant suggestions for a damp area? I'm sure there are plenty of other things which would complement what you already have.

I have two sanguisorbia, one has the fluffier pink 'squirrel tail' flowers(maybe S. obtusa?) and that one does not like to dry out, the other is the purple type (S. tenuifolia) and that one doesn't mind dry soil. But of course that again doesn't say if they'd do well in an always damp spot!

I tried it out in a relatively damp spot one year, but one of the summer foliage-munching beetles totally denuded it and it didn’t return.

I planted three last year. The very tall one, "pink elephant" has done well. It was next to the bird bath and I dumped the dirty water on it about 4 times a week. Two smaller ones (no recollection of names) have hung on but not thrived. They were not in optimal locations. I dont know where to put them so I'm transplanting to my "holding bed" where they'll stay until I make up my mind.

Babs, in my garden Japanese beetles love them. I was picking them off every day for a month. Yuck.

Thanks everyone!

Oh, yes! She is the source of my burnett seed. She's so fantastic. My seed was the deep burgandy color. Marie, I'm not sure Nancy is sending many emails now. I still order seed from her, but I haven't gotten any mass emails, either.

I may remember she was stopping her regular blogs to concentrate on her seed business.I'm sure I haven't read half her posts. I was hoping there was an index of her articles but did not see one. She's how I learned about iris Gerald Darby, which is one special creature.

I second the thanks for the hayefield blog, it was super fun to read this morning and I now have a helenium 'Helen' on the way to match my sanguisorba officinalis - looks like a wonderful combination!

Nan Ondra is a wealth of plant information. I believe she is only posting blog entries on garden bloggers bloom day now which is the 15th of the month. She's also on Instagram.

If you subscribe to Fine Gardening magazine, the most recent issue has a very comprehensive article on Sanguisorbas including a plant trial evaluation chart from the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Sue

I just looked on the CBG website but the sanguisorba trials are not there yet. I imagine it will appear eventually.

I just transplanted "Pink Elephant" closer to Althea "Lil' Kim." The flower color is exactly the same as Kim's 'interior' and part of the plant dangles over white and green Caryopteris "Snow Fairy" which is a nice contrast and unplanned effect.

I planted S. tenufolia for the first time last year and tall plant at around 3 feet. Here's a pic - sorry, not the best!

I also subscribe to Fine Gardening magazine and really enjoy their articles on plant trial results. I would like to try the 'Pink Tanna' burnet and 'Red Thunder' burnet.

Bellarosa, the color of your burnet is beautiful! It’s more raspberry-like than my burgandy bloooms. Looking forward to seeing more of that plant. Perhaps we are all on a burnet hunt now, right? So many nice varieties out there now.

My healthiest of the burnett seedlings planted last year has just started to bloom. My blooms definitely are burgandy. I knew the dark rhododendron and spruce/fir behind it would not highlight the blooms, but I don’t have a good space for it yet. The Ogon spirea in front of it is over 4’ tall and not quite as yellow as many due to reduced direct sunlight, but burnet blooms drooping in front of it look nice. I’m really excited about this plant and would love to find other burnets.

Deanna, I agree, I think we are all on the hunt for these beautiful plants. I have another burnet planted in shade, terrible location, no flowers, just leaves. I'm going to move it next year. It's from Intrinsic Gardens and it's called, "Lilac Squirrel". From the pic, it shows that it's a rather tall variety with pink blooms. I need more of these wonderful plants. Not sure why they aren't commonly sold at local nurseries. I like you combo with the Ogon spirea! What variety of burnet do you have? Mine is HUGE!

Reviving this informative thread with a question: when do these emerge i zone 6 New England? .. i keep looking at last years location but theres no sign of it. Does it emerge late? for a two years rabbits ate it back to nubs so I've wondered about the effect of that.

I don't know how I missed this thread, I have been a huge fan for years. I have

officinalis 'Tanna' & 'Little Angel', obtusa & obtusa 'Alba' and tenuifolia 'Alba'. If planted in a wet area the pink flowers of obtusa will lose color to be whitish.

Marie they are later to emerge and I don't believe mine are up yet. I will check today but the black flies have been bad so I have done only quick run throughs.

Not sure how much of a difference it makes with your zone 6 New England with my zone 7 but here my sanguisorba officinalis have been up since late march and they are about 1.5 ft tall now and still growing

mine is up about 12" or so. Can't tell you when they started but just noticed them yesterday. apologies that i don't recall which one i have, but it has smaller burgundy flowers

I grow mine with grasses, verbena, patrinia, eryngiums. I have 'Cangsham Cranberry' and 'Arnhem' which can get to over 2 mt...but I do have to irrigate them so I dunno how long I will keep them. They are stunning plants for a late summer wild border. They have been up and growing away for a few weeks...

I grew some shorter varieties from seed last year. We'll see how they do at bloom time. I can't remember where I planted them!

these threads are good archives as it seems i dont remember what i did or reported!

ill stop looking near the birdbath and look around Litl’Kim. I ll replace Pink Elephant if it died but start the rabbit spray immediately.