Self heal (Prunella vulgaris) is an herbaceous perennial plant from the mint or Lamiaceae family. It is also known as common selfheal, heal-all, sicklewort, hook heal, pickpocket, poverty pink, woundwort, carpenter's herb, brownwort, heart o' the earth, blue curls and lance selfheal. It can often be found in lawns, which is probably where most of us will find it, as well as grassland, meadows, waste ground and woodland edges. It ranges from Europe to temperate Asia and down to north Africa. It has unusual violet coloured flowers.
Growing methods
Self heal is propagated by seed or the replanting of rooted creeping stems in the spring. However, if you already have some, it will happily self seed and spread by itself. It is in flower from June to November and the seeds are shed from August to October. It will grow to between 10 - 30 cm. It attracts bees and butterflies but there is no floral scent. This plant prefers cool mild temperatures and a sunny or partially sunny spot. Plants are generally pest and disease free.
Sow seeds in the spring in trays in warm sunny place. Germination can be improved by scarifying the seeds. Seeds germinate well in a fluctuating temperature of between 20°C and 30°C. When the seedlings are large enough, pot on into larger pots and, once established, plant out into their final position. They suit most soil conditions. They may be cut back after flowering if needs be.
Other uses
Self heal has long been used in herbal medicine for an extremely wide range of ailments and is strongly anti-viral. Historically, it was used for sore throats. Please do check it out. A green dye can be obtained from the stems and flowers.
Raw edible parts
The leaves, flowers and stems can be eaten raw or cooked. They are good in salads. Alternatively, make them into a hot tea or infuse in cold water for a cold drink. They can be dried in the summer for use in the winter. Picking the flowers frequently encourages more flowers. It is considered a very safe herb. We have dried a bunch for use in the winter to guard against colds and flu. You can never have enough self heal. We love it!
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| Self heal (Prunella vulgaris) |
Growing methods
Self heal is propagated by seed or the replanting of rooted creeping stems in the spring. However, if you already have some, it will happily self seed and spread by itself. It is in flower from June to November and the seeds are shed from August to October. It will grow to between 10 - 30 cm. It attracts bees and butterflies but there is no floral scent. This plant prefers cool mild temperatures and a sunny or partially sunny spot. Plants are generally pest and disease free.
Sow seeds in the spring in trays in warm sunny place. Germination can be improved by scarifying the seeds. Seeds germinate well in a fluctuating temperature of between 20°C and 30°C. When the seedlings are large enough, pot on into larger pots and, once established, plant out into their final position. They suit most soil conditions. They may be cut back after flowering if needs be.
Other uses
Self heal has long been used in herbal medicine for an extremely wide range of ailments and is strongly anti-viral. Historically, it was used for sore throats. Please do check it out. A green dye can be obtained from the stems and flowers.
Raw edible parts
The leaves, flowers and stems can be eaten raw or cooked. They are good in salads. Alternatively, make them into a hot tea or infuse in cold water for a cold drink. They can be dried in the summer for use in the winter. Picking the flowers frequently encourages more flowers. It is considered a very safe herb. We have dried a bunch for use in the winter to guard against colds and flu. You can never have enough self heal. We love it!
