British plant maven Marina Christopher includes ′Autumn Red’ in her top-dozen favorite Sanguisorba list. This energetic seldom-offered cultivar is characterized by large, saw-toothed loosely-arranged pinnate blue-green foliage that tosses wide-branched skyward stems with burr-like dark red blooms, unfurling from late summer ’til November. Ensconce alongside other long-legged plants such as Aster ‘Orpheus’, Verbena bonariensis and Panicum ‘Northwind’ for colorful late season vignettes.

Blooms July–October

Size: 5' 0" – 6' 0" high x 2' 0" – 2-1/2' wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Casting strong vertical accents and captivating close-up details, this must-have new cultivar bears long, antique-toned rosy-red blooms studded with soft-looking black-tipped stamens. Handsome pairs of notched matte-green leaves loosely ascend the staunch, branching, red-tinged flower stalks. ‘Blackthorn’s splendid, upright cylindrical blossoms beckon butterflies and plant lovers alike, while its steadfast lusty habit can mingle with other late bloomers such as Persicaria ‘Taurus’ and Pennisetum ‘Karley Rose’.

Blooms July–October

Size: 5' 0" – 6' 0" high x 2' 0" – 2-1/2' wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Often touted as one of the best Sanguisorbas to grow, this elegant hybrid seedling was selected from a group of Sanguisorba tenuifolia var. parviflora plants by Graham Gough at Marchants Hardy Plants, his East Sussex nursery. Copious cylindrical green buds plus elongated, slightly nodding snowy-white flowers gambol upon lithe, upright branching stems and attractive pinnate foliage that’s intricately cut into narrow, saw-toothed oblong deep green leaflets. Presenting a reliable and peppy persona coupled with long-standing pollinator-friendly blooms, ‘Burr Blanc’ can be situated amid Boltonia ‘Snowbank’, Eryngium yuccifolium and Echinops ‘Platinum Blue’ for luminous color echoes.

Blooms July–mid October

Size: 4' 0" – 5' 0" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Collected in Yunnan, China by plantsman Dan Hinkley, ‘Cangshan Cranberry’ is a stately late-blooming cultivar whose daring bottlebrush-like flowers are suffused with fabulous dusky-burgundy hues. Inspiring British nursery proprietor Marina Christopher to coin the namesake, copious close-knit bobbles roost atop tall, slender, self-supporting reddish stems, while oval-shaped blue-green leaflets distinguish the winsome jagged-edged pinnate foliage. A dynamic counterpoint to blousey trusses and spires as well as daisy-style blooms, this tall, seldom offered Sanguisorba can be peppered amid Phlox ‘Miss Mary’, Veronicastrum ‘Pink Glow’ and Helianthus salicifolia to great effect. (DJHC535)

Blooms August–October

Size: 5' 0" – 6' 0" high x 18" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Casting a fanciful feminine style all summer long, this gorgeous aptly named Japanese perennial premiers bushy purplish pink tails that gracefully arch downward on upright stems. A clumping base sprouts gray-green scalloped leaves, which showcase intriguing origami-like patterns as they unfurl and promise a long lasting well-groomed appearance.

Blooms June–August

Size: 18" – 2' 0" high x 15" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Fluffy, decidedly feminine and pendulous, the 5 in. long squirrel tail blooms are draped like bodacious pink boas atop sparsely leafed sturdy stems. Loose fine textured filaments define the look-at-me flowers, while red-infused petioles and bold blue-green pinnate leaves further enhance the beguilement.

Blooms July–September

Size: 20" – 2-1/2' high x 15" – 18" wide.

Hardy to zone 5.

An assemblage of finespun, feathery blue-green foliage gives way to slender branching stems and tightly arranged, finger-length blooms in vivid dark red shades. Earlier to flower than other Sanguisorbas, this enticing perennial cavorts with Nepeta ‘Summer Magic’ and Festuca mairei in our border.

Blooms May–July

Size: 2-3/4' high x 16" – 18" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

This head-turning British cultivar swaggers lanky and close-knit oblong pinkish maroon tassels that are longer and fluffier than the Pacific Northwest species. Laden with prominent hairs, the long-lasting floral hoopla crests strong upright stems and a robust foundation of decorative blue-gray pinnate foliage. Ensconce anywhere ‘Wake-Up’s whimsical blooms can be backlit by the afternoon sun and relished even when past their prime.

Blooms May–July

Size: 2' 0" – 3' 0" high x 16" – 18" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Residing on wiry arching stems, soft pink fingerlike spikes look fluffy and feminine. They nod lazy heads at the handsome bushy mass of tranquil blue-green leaves marked by indented margins that grows below.

Blooms July–September.

Size: 2-1/2' high x 18" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Embodied with astringent properties, the Great Burnet’s handsome foliage can soothe not only inflamed skin but your senses as well. The vigorous rounded clump is an airy cool green arrangement of deeply cut, toothed basal leaves that promotes a relaxed presence in the landscape. Come summer, the mood changes when thin, tall branching stems lift tightly set, blood-red bottlebrushes. Create a fervor, plant en masse and savor the alluring color and shape of the flowers, especially when juxtaposed against Seseli gummiferum’s white umbels.

Blooms July–October

Size: 3' 0" – 4' 0" high x 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Stretching to grand heights, lean branching stems cushion a mesmerizing see-through froth of snug ovoid-shaped blooms dressed in lavish burgundy-red shades. The suave saw-toothed pinnate foliage shapes a loose green foliar mound that is anchored by sturdy underground rhizomes. Popular among bees, floral artists and plant lovers, ‘Arnhem’ can be interspersed with other natural-style mates such as Panicum ‘Purple Tears’ and Aster ‘Fellowship’ for easy-care late season oomph.

Blooms July–October

Size: 5' 0" – 6' 0" high x 2' 0" – 2-1/2' wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Famed for its ferny blue-green foliage that’s burnished with chocolate overtones, this superb new cultivar produces a lavish plethora of egg-shaped brunette-tinged maroon flowers. The dense chubby blooms uniquely open from the bottom up, while perched on firm slender branching stems. ‘Chocolate Tip’ brings a buoyant stance and dark saturated hues to the colorful blooms of Agastache ‘Bolero’ and Aster ‘Harrington’s Pink’ in our border.

Blooms July?October.

Size: 2-1/4' high x 16" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Close-set, long-lasting and early to unfurl, myriad egg-shaped Merlot-hued blooms adorn a sprightly array of wire-thin branching stalks. This striking new cultivar sprouts decorative toothed bluish green leaves, crafting an enduring, no-quibble basal mound that’s ideal for borders, cutting gardens or meadow-style plantings.

Blooms July–September

Size: 3-1/3' high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

This lofty new English introduction arose as a chance seedling at Martin Lowne’s West Acre Gardens. Soaring far beyond a refined substantial green clump of 15 toothed, somewhat oblong pinnate leaflets, the sturdy self-supporting stalks plus loosely arranged branched stems host countless plump wine-hued blooms heightened by deep plum shades. Tailor-made for cut arrangements, ‘Martin’s Mulberry’s dense full-toned blooms and willowy visage can be threaded amongst bedfellows like Cephalaria gigantea, Aster ‘Violetta’ and Molinia ‘Skyracer’.

Blooms July–October

Size: 5' 0" – 6' 0" high x 2' 0" – 2-1/2' wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Set in motion by the slightest breeze, the bevy of chubby maroon thimbles roosts on firm, willowy branched stems above a ferny low-growing fresh green clump. ‘Morning Select’ is a new vigorous perennial that Scottish Sanguisorba expert Gavin McNaughton includes on his favorites’ list. Abiding wet conditions and clay soil, its pinnate foliage plus early blooming close-knit flowers afford a wild yet refined touch in borders or natural-style plantings with Pennisetum ‘Karley Rose’, Calamagrostis brachytricha and Cirsium ‘Trevor’s Blue Wonder’ nearby.

Blooms June–August

Size: 2-1/2' – 3-1/2' high x 16" – 18" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Derived from a Korean collection of Sanguisorba officinalis, this snazzy Sanguisorba was selected by Dutch plantsman Piet Oudolf for its deep ruby-red bobbles, perched on tall stiffer stems. Whether in the border or a meadow planting, a vase or frost covered in the garden’s winter light, their distinctive silhouette inspires as much drama as a gathering thunder head. A green bed of pinnate foliage with toothed leaflets launches the strong floral display that can be superimposed against tall silver-plumed Miscanthus, whorled Veronicastrum blooms and Helianthus ‘Capenoch Star’.

Blooms July–October

Size: 3' 0" – 4' 0" high x 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Well suited for the smaller scale garden, ‘Tanna’s mound of ferny leaf fronds makes an elegant host to the cylindrical, burgundy flower spires that playfully top foot-long stems. Cultivated since the Middle Ages, the cucumber-flavored foliage has been a welcome addition in the salad bowl.

Blooms July–August.

Size: 18" high x 12" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

A ‘see-through’ plethora of dense, muted pink catkins with pale rose-colored stamens alight sturdy, erect branching stems above a decorative, grass-green basal clump. Beloved by butterflies, the spry, furry blooms turn a warm russet-brown as they age, while close-set, toothed pinnate foliage offers bright canary-yellow hues for autumn. Adaptable to clay soil and larger than the more well-known ‘Tanna’, this durable perennial’s easy-to-blend, long-lasting blooms can be massed near the front of the border or in a less formal venue.

Blooms July–September

Size: 18" – 2' 0" high x 18" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Proudly poised atop tall, lean, erect branching stems, the breezy array of snug burgundy-red blooms with reddish pink stamens promises both a visual feast plus a nectar-rich refuge. The deep green pinnate foliage is divided into small coarsely-toothed rounded leaflets, comprising a tasteful low-lying mound that’s more compact than many other Sanguisorbas. This new seldom-offered British cultivar can be debuted right up front, where its full-toned bobbles throw a mysterious guise upon midborder plants.

Blooms July–September

Size: 2' 0" high x 12" – 15" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

A textural delight of saw-toothed, finely divided leaves, ‘Alba’s clump-forming mound lays the foundation for slim, fluffy white, drooping blooms. The elegant cylindrical flowers are abundantly borne on tall branching stems, well above the energetic greenery, and look like luminous catkins caught in a rain shower.

Blooms September–October

Size: 4' 0" – 5' 0" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Buoyed by lanky branching stems, a plethora of long finger-shaped raspberry-hued inflorescences first emerge in a nearly horizontal fashion, then artfully curve and become more pendulous with age. Light pink stamens lend an intriguing bicolored effect to the tight long-lasting blooms that mesmerize butterflies and hummingbirds above slender, pinnate green leaves sporting finely serrated margins. A tall upright perennial native to moist Asiatic meadows, ‘Pink Elephant’s airy textural demeanor can be massed or planted singularly in borders as well as more naturalized venues.

Blooms July–early October

Size: 3' 0" – 5' 0" high x 2' 0" – 3' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.