Sanguisorba officinalis

Sanguisorba officinalis (Great Burnet) is a plant in the family Rosaceae, subfamily Rosoideae. It is native throughout the cooler regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, northern Asia, and northern North America.

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It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 1 m tall, which occurs in grasslands, growing well on grassy banks.

Commercial Uses

  Use is made of its extensive root system for erosion control, as well as a bioremediator, used to reclaim derelict sites such as landfills.

The leaves are used in salads because they are mildly reminiscent of cucumber. Selective pruning of apical meristems, such as at flower heads, is used to encourage an increase in leaf production. ‎

Ethnomedical Uses

It has been in use by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for thousands of years, probably through the employment of the doctrine of signatures as a treatment for bleeding.

Specifically, the root is used to stop bloody dysentery, nosebleeds, and is applied topically to treat burns and insect bites.

References

• Plants for a Future: Sanguisorba officinalis
• Chittendon, F. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951