Sanguisorba tenuifolia v. alba is a delicate looking plant with unusual nodding, bottlebrush-like spikes of white fluffy flowers. The shape and quantity of the flowers make it stand out in the border at a time when few other plants are flowering. It looks delicate, but does not need staking.
The species Sanguisorba tenuifoliais is normally a pink colour, with the alba variety being white.S. tenuifolia v. alba has a number of common names including white Japanese burnet, white Oriental burnet and narrow leaf burnet. The word ‘burnet’ is used to describe any Sanguisorba.
It is similar to Sanguisorba canadensis, but the latter has white flowers that are not nodding.
The plant in the pictures was grown from seed obtained from the ORGS&HPS SeedEx. It seems quite happy in normal, dry garden soil, but probably would prefer a wetter condition. Most sources say it is not drought tolerant.
Sanguisorba tenuifolia v. alba
(san-GWIS-or-ba ten-yoo-ih-FOH-lee-uh)
Life Cycle: perennial
Height: 100 cm (3.5ft)
Bloom Time: mid to late summer
Natural Range: Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia
Habitat: forest margins, meadows, grassy mountain slopes, damp places; 200-1700m
Synonyms: Sanguisorba parviflora
Cultivation Sanguisorba tenuifolia v. alba
Light: full sun
Soil: average garden soil
Water: moist to boggy conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4– 9
Propagation: seed, division
Hi there! Hoping you (or anyone else who sees this) may be able to point me in the right direction. I have a client who has a Sanguisorba tenuifolia var. alba… at least I think so. Everything else fits except for the foliage. Its leaves are identical to other S. tenuifolia however they are a dark purple, almost black. The flowers are white and drooping like var. alba. I’ve looked high and low and I can’t find any with black leaves! Any thoughts? Thanks for your time 🙂
It sort of looks like a grass variety. Some of my favorite plants I’ve had but lost over the years were: Korean violet (viola sylvestris), Sanicula caerulescens (Blue Sanicle), Saxifraga fortunei ‘Silver Velvet’ , Acanthus mollis ‘Tasmanian Angel’, Podophyllum ‘Kaleidoscope’ (Mayapple), and Oxalis adenophylla. Do you have any knowledge of these plants and whether its’s possible to be successful with them in our climate, and where I can get them again. I have had all of them, except for the Kaleidoscope Mayapple, in the past. I would love to try getting them again.
Podophyllum ‘Kaleidoscope’ seems to be a zone 6 plant. Acanthus mollis is not hardy in zone 5. I am not familiar with the others. If they are hardy in your zone, then you should be able to grow them .
Beautiful, Robert! Does this reseed or get a little overly aggressive? Would love to try it in my zone 5 garden.
I have found no seedlings – but I do mulch with wood chips which keep lots of things from seeding. The plant is not aggressive.
I remember how superb it was looking at the end of August! I would say it looks more attractive than S. canadensis. but maybe there is a space for both of them in a garden.
There is always room in the trial bed to see if it meets my high standards for plants 🙂