Burnet saxifrage.

At a glance

Care level

Easy

Plant type

Perennial herb

Light

Full sun

Indoor light

Direct sun

Water

Every 7 to 14 days

Mature size

2 feet

Growth rate

Medium

Hardiness

USDA 4 to 8

Bloom time

Early to late summer

Care

Plant this in a spot with good drainage to keep the roots happy. It handles dry spells well once established but hates sitting in water, so avoid overwatering. Deadhead the spent flowers to encourage a second flush of blooms.

Watering

Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.

Feeding

Apply a balanced organic fertilizer once during the spring growing season.

Pruning

Trim back spent flower stalks to keep the plant tidy and encourage growth.

Repotting

Only repot if the plant becomes root bound or needs a larger container.

Soil

Well drained, chalky or sandy soil

Soil pH

Neutral to alkaline

Temperature

-25 to 30°C

Humidity

40 to 70%

Drought tolerance

High

Lifespan

Perennial, typically 3 to 5 years.

Deer and rabbits

Moderate

Safety

People

The plant is generally considered safe, but contact with sap can cause photosensitivity in some individuals.

Children

The plant is not inherently dangerous, but children should be supervised to prevent accidental ingestion of misidentified wild plants.

Contact allergens

Handling the foliage can cause skin irritation or rashes in sensitive people due to furanocoumarins.

Airborne allergens

Pollen may cause mild reactions in those with severe hay fever.

Edibility

Do not consume if you cannot positively identify this plant, as it resembles toxic members of the Apiaceae family.

How to identify it

• Lacy white umbel flower clusters
• Pinnate leaves with serrated edges
• Slender, branched flowering stems
• Basal rosette of foliage

Height

0.3 to 0.6m

Spread

0.2 to 0.4m

Leaves

green, deciduous

Flowers

white, 0.2 to 0.5cm

Fruit

brown, Autumn

Problems to watch for

• Aphids · Small insects that cluster on flower stems and suck plant sap.
• Powdery mildew · A fungal growth that appears as white dust on leaves during humid weather.

Growing it

Propagation

seed

When to plant

spring, autumn

Overwintering

Cut back dead foliage in late autumn to keep the crown tidy. It is fully hardy and requires no special protection during winter.

In containers

It grows well in containers if provided with excellent drainage and a deep pot.

Plant this alongside other drought-tolerant meadow flowers to create a low-maintenance pollinator habitat.

Grows well with

• Wild Thyme · They share similar requirements for sunny, well-drained soil.
• Common Yarrow · Both are excellent for supporting local pollinator populations.

Similar species

• Greater Burnet Saxifrage · It is a larger relative that prefers slightly damper conditions.

Science

Family

Apiaceae

Genus

Pimpinella

Order

Apiales

Class

Magnoliopsida

Native range

Europe and parts of Western Asia.

Conservation

It is not currently of conservation concern and is common throughout its range.

It is a resilient plant that thrives in dry grasslands, rocky slopes, and meadows by tolerating nutrient-poor soils.

Value to wildlife

nectar source, larval host plant

Pollinators

bees, butterflies, beetles

Uses

culinary herb, pollinator garden, meadow planting

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is burnet saxifrage easy to grow?

Yes, it is quite hardy and thrives in well-drained, sunny spots.

Does it need much water?

It prefers moderate moisture but handles dry spells well once established.

Where the name comes from

Pimpinella is likely derived from the Latin word for pepper, referring to the taste of the roots, while saxifraga comes from the Latin for rock and to break.

Good to know

• The name saxifraga means rock breaker, referring to its ability to grow in rocky crevices.
• It has a long history of use in traditional herbal medicine.
• The roots were once used to flavor certain types of beer.

Also in

• Drought-tolerant plants