Herbs > Salad Burnet Herb

Information on, uses of and how to grow salad burnet:

Name
Poterium sanguisorba.

Family
Rosacea.

History
Native to the Mediterranean where it was historically used to flavour wines and as a tonic tea. In England it was often planted in the Tudor knot garden. The herb was taken to America by the Pilgrim Fathers and it naturalised there.

Growing pattern
Hardy perennial.

Seeds
Buy Salad Burnet Seeds (Organic and Non-Organic) from The Green Chronicle (Pay in £, $US, Euro).
Herbs, Seasonings and Spices - Buy dried herbs and spices from Mountain Rose Herbs ($US).

How to grow
Sow the seeds in Spring or in early Autumn. Remove the flower heads to encourage growth and pick the leaves when young. Burnet will self-sow.

Soil condition/position
Sow in good soil. Burnet will remain green during a mild winter but it is better to re-sow every year to obtain tender leaves. It can be container grown.

Appearance
Burnet consists of a flat rosette of spiky-toothed leaves from which a flowering stem grows. The leaves have a fresh cucumber taste. Burnet will grow to a height of 30cm.

Uses
Burnet can be added to sauces and salads. Use it to make burnet vinegar. Add it to cheese and use it as a garnish instead of parsley. Cosmetically an infusion of burnet leaves is good for the skin.