Sanguisorba officinalis 'Xinzhou Black' - 9cm pot
A popular plant for naturalistic plantings and definitely a favourite versatile perennial in the garden. Forms clumps of highly attractive pinnate foliage that appears in early spring from a series of small tap roots in the centre, in this form the leaf stems are dark and the individual leaflets quite distinctly serrated compared to the true species. In summer many upright, branched flower stems appear, each topped with masses of long-lasting darkest burgundy, almost black, bobble-like flowers, that work really well with all sorts of perennials, grasses and small shrubs. Flowering continues into autumn. Full sun to part shade, and does best in a moisture-retentive soil, or give it a weekly water during the summer. Flowering size 100-140cm high x 30-50cm wide. 9cm pot.