American Great Burnet

American Great Burnet, Sanguisorba canadensis, is a perennial forb or herb in the rose family, Rosaceae. It grows to roughly 1.2 meters tall and is herbaceous rather than woody, meaning it dies back and returns each year instead of persisting as a shrub. Its recorded native range in this profile includes Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Labrador. Throughout that range it is associated with moist ground, and the profile notes that it is not drought resistant, so reliable moisture appears to matter to it more than tolerance of dry sites. In cultivation the plant is fairly flexible. It will grow in full sun or partial shade and accepts light sandy, medium, and heavy clay soils alike, which makes it a practical candidate for damp borders and other mixed settings where its height suits the middle or back of a bed. It is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8. Plants are commonly increased by division of the roots in early spring. The leaves are the primary edible part. They can be eaten raw or cooked as a spinach substitute, and they can also be dried for later use, giving the plant culinary as well as ornamental relevance. American Great Burnet is not recorded as a medicinal plant in this profile, and no active compounds are listed, so no therapeutic claims can be made for it. Because the edible portion is the foliage, correct identification remains important before any use.