Sanguisorba officinalis ‘Tsetseguun’

Mongolian Burnet Rosaceae

A particularly distinctive and exceptionally hardy form of Great Burnet, collected by Edulis on the slopes of Tsetseguun Mountain, above Ulan Bator, Mongolia, at approximately 2,200m. The collection was made in 2005 and has proved notably earlier flowering than most forms of Sanguisorba officinalis, producing elegant, deep maroon flowerheads from May and June. The tall, branching stems rise above bright green, pinnate foliage, giving the plant a particularly airy and naturalistic appearance. Edulis records it reaching around 1.5m in flower. 

Introduction: This is a genuine Edulis collection, raised from seed collected on Tsetseguun Mountain in 2005. Its high-altitude Mongolian provenance gives it exceptional cold tolerance, and the RHS rates ‘Tsetseguun’ H7, suitable for even the severest European continental climates. 

Grow in full sun or partial shade in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil. It is remarkably hardy and adaptable, while the early flowering period makes it particularly useful alongside later-flowering Sanguisorbas and ornamental grasses. The deep maroon flowerheads are excellent for naturalistic planting and are attractive to pollinating insects.

Flowering: May–June
Hardiness: H7, below –20°C
Height: 1.2–1.5m
Spread: 60–90cm