Herb Salad burnet (or Pimpinella) is a very useful herb that will grow in all soil types from poor dry soil through to the heavy clay soils and it will stay green for the whole year unless there is a particularly cold period. As the name 'Salad Burnet' suggests it is mainly used to add flavour to salads with the young leaves being the best to use as they are fresh and much more tender than the older ones. Because of this it is very important to trim the plant on a regular basis to ensure that you always have a fresh supply of leaves.

In addition to the flavoring of salads it also makes very good salad dressing with a fine cucumber taste. Simply use sprigs of the salad burnet to infuse white wine vinegar. The leaves can be used to flavour many types of drink.

The Salad Burnet is native to the Mediterranean region where it was historically used to flavour wines and as a tonic tea. Grown in England for many centuries, it was taken to America by the Pilgrim Fathers and has been grown there ever since.

The seeds should be sown directly into your seedbed from March until June.


If you would like a little help and some further information on growing herbs then please see our information sheet GROWING HERBS.

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