Common Name: greater burnet
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Apiaceae
Zone: 5 to 8
Height: 2.00 to 4.00 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 2.00 feet
Bloom Time: June to July
Bloom Description: Pink
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Naturalize
Flower: Showy
Culture
Grow in fertile, moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Plants may self-seed in the garden in optimum growing conditions. Established plants may be divided in spring.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Pimpinella major, commonly called greater burnet or greater burnet saxifrage, is a clump-forming perennial that somewhat resembles Queen Anne’s lace with its umbels of white flowers and lacy foliage. It typically rises to 3-4’ tall and to 2’ wide. Tiny white flowers bloom in summer in large, flat, terminal compound umbels atop upright stems. Pinnately compound, basal leaves (to 7” long) each with 3-9 ovate to lanceolate toothed leaflets, are medium green. Stem leaves are smaller. This plant is native to meadows, grasslands and scrub areas in Europe.
Genus name of uncertain derivation.
Specific epithet means bigger or larger.
Pimpinella anisum is an aromatic annual typically grown in herb gardens for harvest of anise seed.
‘Rosea’ is much more popular than the species because of its more attractive pink flowers. It typically rises to 3-4’ tall and to 2’ wide. Pink flowers bloom in summer in large, flat, terminal compound umbels atop upright stems.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
Uses
Plants have a somewhat weedy appearance and are perhaps best naturalized in wild gardens, meadows or open woodland areas. May be grown in borders.