Sanguisorba

$150.00
New for 2027!
Variety: Magical Red Velvet (25 bare roots)

At long last! We have cut-flower Sanguisorba, in bare-root form, from the amazing breeders at Kolster. These tall, airy plants are loaded with burgundy bottle-brush flowers. Plant in full sun for best results, although they will tolerate some partial shade in hotter climates. They prefer well-draining yet moisture retentive soil. Hardy down to zone 5. 

These bare root divisions will be shipped in a bag in a dormant state, ready to start growing after transplant. If you need to delay planting, store them closed in the bags in a cooler. Sold in bags of 25 divisions. 

Price includes a $ .55 per plant royalty. Propagation is prohibited. 

Everything You Need to Know

Ordering

What are Bare Roots?

Bare root perennials and woody plants are just that! Plants with bare roots. They are dug from the field where they were grown, washed, and then stored in the perfect climate over the winter months. This process has many advantages. Soil is heavy and messy to ship, so removing it makes transportation far more efficient. As a result, we are able to bring in these hard to find plants from Holland, where they are grown by the very folks that breed them. 


 
 

Where we Ship

We ship bare roots to the lower 48 states and Alaska via FedEx. (Sorry, Hawaii!)

When we Ship

All bare roots will ship in March 2027. Specific ship/delivery dates cannot be accommodated. You will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking information as soon as your order has been packed. Clematis will be shipped separately from other bare roots.

Order Minimums

The minimum order is 4 total bundles of any variety.

Number of roots per bundle:

Hydrangea, Deutzia, Viburnum - 9 potted plants(see product description)

Calicarpa, Cephalanthus, Cotinus, Exochorda, Forsythia, Sorbaria, Weigela - 10 bare roots

Physocarpus, Spirea- Either 10 bare roots or 9 potted plants depending on variety.

Clematis, Astilbe, Sanguisorba, Kniphofia - 25 bare roots

 

 Active Orders

Order Confirmation

You will receive a confirmation email from info@farmerbailey.com shortly after placing your order.

Substitutions and Shortages

In the unlikely event of a shortage, we will reach out to find a solution; be that a substitution, refund, or a combination thereof.

Cancellations + Order Changes

Order changes, including cancellations, are accepted until February 1, 2027. Farmer Bailey retains a 10% cancellation fee on all canceled orders and order items. 

Shipping

Bare Roots will ship via FedEx in March 2027.

Pricing

4-6 bundles  |  $25

7-12 bundles  |  $50

13-18 bundles  |  $75

*Shipping to Alaska is $75 per box.

    Damaged/Missing Items

    Mold and minor damage

    You may see a bit of mold on the roots, but this is normal. Simply wash it off and plant immediately. As a precaution you can treat the roots with a fungicide or biofungicide, but this isn't necessary. Small broken branches are also of little concern. Just prune off any broken bits and the plant will recover quickly. The root system is the important part at this stage.

    Claims

    To file a claim, email info@farmerbailey.com within 24 hours of receiving your order; include your 5-digit order number, photos and a description of the issue. Based on the assessment by our Claims Department, we'll issue any necessary refund(s) or replacements, when possible. 

    Our team may request that you plant the bare roots and report any non-viable plants by June 1st. Farmer Bailey will not accept any bare root claims after June 1st.

    ***Farmer Bailey is not liable for plants that do not thrive once planted if no claim was filed at the time of delivery.***


    Growing Guides

    Click here to access our comprehensive growing guides containing everything you need to know about this crop.

    Common Name Great burnet, Burnet
    Genus  Sanguisorba
    Species S. officinalis
    Family Rosaceae
    Life Cycle  Herbaceous perennial. Sanguisorba officinalis is a clump-forming, rhizomatous perennial that becomes more substantial with age. Can take 2 to 5 years to reach mature size, and established plants will live many years.
    Format Bare Roots
    Care

    These plants will arrive just coming out of dormancy. You may see swelling buds or a bit of new growth, but in general they will be in a dormant state and may look a little dead. Don't worry! They will wake up.

    You may see a bit of mold on the roots but this is completely normal. Simply wash it off and plant immediately. As a precaution you can treat the roots with a fungicide or biofungicide, but this isn't necessary. Small broken branches are also of little concern. Just prune off any broken bits and the plant will recover quickly. The root system is the important part at this stage in the game.

    If you can't plant immediately on arrival store your bare roots in the cooler. The cold will delay their growth. Keep them from freezing. You can either pot them into 1 gallon pots or plant them directly into your prepared soil. Just make sure to plant them within a few days of arrival. They are waking up and are ready to grow, and they will decline quickly if they are not given soil, water and sunshine.

    This is a carefully orchestrated process to get plants quickly from their storage conditions to you so please do your part and be ready to plant them on arrival. There is no reason that these plants will experience any stress if you prepare for their arrival.
    Netting / Staking One layer of support is recommended, particularly in fertile soils, exposed sites, or where long straight stems are desired. Shorter varieties will be fine with no netting, but tall varieties such as 'Magical Red Velvet' should be supported for best results. 
    Temperature Range Very cold hardy. Sanguisorba officinalis should be hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 8, possibly hardy in areas both colder and warmer, but this is speculative. 
    Spacing Kolster recommends 6 to 8 plants per m² for its Sanguisorba officinalis cut-flower production, which works out to approximately 14 to 16 inches between plants when spaced uniformly. This is for high-intensity production. If planting into a perennial field for long-term production, give the plants up to 24 inches of space to allow for long-term growth and adequate airflow between plants. 
    Soil Preference Prefers moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil that does not dry out during the growing season. It tolerates a wide range of soil types and pH, including clay, loam, sand, acidic, neutral, and alkaline soils. Consistent moisture is particularly important for good growth and flowering, but avoid stagnant or waterlogged conditions.
    Light Requirements Grow in full sun or partial shade. Full sun is preferred for the best flowering and strongest stems, particularly when growing for cut flowers.
    Pinching Not necessary - this species naturally produces many long, branched flowering stems. 
    When to Plant Spring, when the ground is workable. The bare roots need to be planted immediately upon arrival. Best is outside into their final growing location, but if that isn't ready right away, a 1-gallon pot somewhere protected will suffice. 
    Harvesting Harvest when the flower heads have developed their characteristic color and are open enough to show the individual florets, but before the heads have become fully mature. It is likely that one harvested stem will contain flowers at all stages of development. See photo at the top of this page for a great example of when to harvest. 
    Post Harvest Care Remove any foliage that will sit below the water line and recut stems before placing them into clean water to hydrate. Flower food could be beneficial for longer-term storage but is not absolutely necessary. Give stems a thorough hydration period before arranging. Expect a vase life of 7 to 10 days. Sanguisorba is moderately sensitive to ethylene gas, so keep it away from ripening fruit and other ethylene-producing materials. Handle the fine stems and flower heads carefully to avoid crushing or bending.
    Diseases / Insects Sanguisorba is generally considered relatively free of serious pest and disease problems. Soil that remains waterlogged or that dries out too extremely are the biggest threats to this plant.
    Bailey's Notes We are so excited to be able to offer this highly requested species. It's a great plant for the problematic areas of the perennial field, where the soil may stay a little too damp for other more finicky species. This plant should do well where you have success with astilbe or trollius. 
    Resources Kolster BV