Pest identification
What's eating my sanguisorba officinalis?
Deer and rabbits
Signs: Foliage browsed down to stumps; young plants and fresh spring growth most at risk.
Control: Physical fencing or wire guards around individual plants. Apply deer repellent sprays in autumn and spring. Surround with strongly scented plants that deter browsers.
Vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus)
Signs: Grubs eat roots and rhizomes, causing wilting and plant collapse — most severe in pots; adults notch leaf margins.
Control: Apply Steinernema kraussei nematodes to moist compost in late summer. Use neonicotinoid-free vine weevil compost treatments for pots. Check roots of wilting container plants.
Slugs and snails
Signs: Holes in young emerging foliage; minor on well-established plants growing in the ground.
Control: Ferric phosphate pellets at crown level in spring. Copper tape on containers. Reduce mulch thickness around the base to limit slug harbourage.
Keep sanguisorba officinalis pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Sanguisorba officinalis pests — FAQ
What is eating my sanguisorba officinalis?
Sanguisorba officinalis (great burnet) is generally trouble-free but attracts deer and rabbits, which browse the foliage. Vine weevil grubs can damage root systems, particularly in containers. Aphids and slugs are occasional low-level threats. Plants in open, well-drained borders suffer far fewer problems than containerised specimens.
How do I get rid of deer and rabbits on sanguisorba officinalis?
Foliage browsed down to stumps; young plants and fresh spring growth most at risk. Physical fencing or wire guards around individual plants. Apply deer repellent sprays in autumn and spring. Surround with strongly scented plants that deter browsers.
How do I get rid of vine weevil (otiorhynchus sulcatus) on sanguisorba officinalis?
Grubs eat roots and rhizomes, causing wilting and plant collapse — most severe in pots; adults notch leaf margins. Apply Steinernema kraussei nematodes to moist compost in late summer. Use neonicotinoid-free vine weevil compost treatments for pots. Check roots of wilting container plants.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on sanguisorba officinalis?
Holes in young emerging foliage; minor on well-established plants growing in the ground. Ferric phosphate pellets at crown level in spring. Copper tape on containers. Reduce mulch thickness around the base to limit slug harbourage.