Sanguisorba Officinalis

Great burnet is a hardy native perennial with handsome pinnate leaves and slender branching stems tipped by dense, oval flower heads in dark maroon-red. The tiny petal-less flowers rely on conspicuous stamens and create a restrained, almost velvety display from summer into early autumn. Once characteristic of traditional damp meadows, Sanguisorba officinalis is valuable in prairie planting, wildlife gardens and naturalistic borders. Its open framework moves beautifully among grasses and supports a wide range of insects.