Sanguisorba tenuifolia Alba

Sanguisorba tenuifolia 'Alba' is a tall burnet of rare elegance. It is a vigorous and floriferous perennial, bearing graceful trailing spikes of white flowers in the middle of summer, above fine and feathery, highly decorative foliage. Its vigorous stump is very hardy in well-drained soil, but it fears heavy, waterlogged soils in winter. It will provide a vertical touch to sunny borders, while gracefully bending in the wind.

Sanguisorba tenuifolia is native to Siberia. It belongs to the Rosaceae family. The cultivar 'Alba' is a non-invasive herbaceous and rhizomatous perennial, developing from a vigorous stump. It forms a clump measuring 1.5m (5ft) in height when in flower, with a 50cm (20in) width. It has a rapid growth rate. In August-September, large spikes emerge from the foliage, which are initially vertical before trailing at their tips. They bear small 4 to 6cm (2in) long cylindrical white flowers. The faded inflorescences remain decorative for a long time. This flowering gracefully cascades above finely cut, dark green foliage. The leaves are divided into 11 to 19 regularly toothed oblong leaflets.

Sanguisorba tenuifolia 'Alba' is a lovely, airy plant, probably the most beautiful of the burnets. It thrives by the water's edge, in well-drained soil. It has the advantage of withstanding wind, which allows it to be placed at the front of shrub borders or large perennials exposed to drafts. For a beautifully wild and refined effect, it can be paired with Miscanthus sinensis var. condensatus 'Cosmopolitan' or M. s. 'Silberfeder'. It can add lightness to the flowering of Japanese anemones and asters.