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BURNET


BURNET (Sanguisorba minor)

Small burnet or salad burnet is a perennial, most of whose leaves grow alternatelyalong the stems and close to the ground in rosettes about 8-12 inches highand 1 1/2 feet across. The leaves consist of rounded toothed leaflets thatare in opposite pairs along the leaf stalks. The flower stems grow uprightfrom the middle of the rosettes to about 2 feet and bear clusters of
unusual thimble shaped rose colored flowers.

Burnet was valued most for its herbal healing qualities. It was supposedto slow the flow of blood in small veins, and there is a story that KingChaba of Hungary used it to heal the wounds of 15,000 soldiers after a greatbattle. A tea made from the leaves is supposed to have been taken by AmericanRevolutionary soldiers the night before entering battle so that, if wounded,they would
not bleed to death.

Grow burnet in any well drained soil and in full sun. It does, however,require routine watering. It grows easily from seeds, and if the flowersare allowed to mature they will self sow almost too freely. You also candivide the clumps if you want more plants. Burnet makes an attractive groundcover (if the flower stems are kept cut back) and a good container ornamental.

Salad burnet has a fresh, pleasant, cucumber like flavor. The leaves canhe added to salads, iced drinks, vinegar, butters, and cream cheese. Useonly the fresh, new leaves.