Prunella vulgaris - Self-Heal

Family:	Labiatae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.15
Width:	0.3
Synonyms:
Range:	Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to N. Africa and temperate Asia.

Prunella vulgaris (Self-Heal) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.15m and a width of 0.3m . It has a hardness rating of 3and is vunerable to frost.
Self-Heal will flower in January to March. the seeds ripen from February to March
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Bees

Soil Information

Self-Heal will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Self-Heal prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Self-Heal can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Waste ground, grassland, woodland edges etc, usually on basic and neutral soils[9, 17].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Can spread to cover ground and will out compete weeds
• Planted in the lawn
• Suits a meadow

Cultivation Details

Thrives in any damp soil[1], in full sun or in light shade[238]. Plants are apt to become troublesome weeds in turf that is at all damp[1]. Self heal is a good plant for growing in the spring meadow[24].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 3/5
Leaves - raw or cooked[9]. They can be used in salads, soups, stews etc[183]. Somewhat bitter due to the presence of tannin in the leaves, though this can be removed by washing the leaves[177]. A cold water infusion of the freshly chopped or dried and powdered leaves is used as a refreshing beverage[161, 183]. Very tasty[168].

• Drink - not including plant saps, tea or coffee substitutes.
• Leaves -

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 3/5
Self heal has a long history of folk use, especially in the treatment of wounds, ulcers, sores etc[7]. It was also taken internally as a tea in the treatment of fevers, diarrhoea, sore mouth, internal bleeding etc[4, 222]. In Korea it is used to treat oedema, nephritis, scrofula and goitre[279]. The whole plant is alterative, antibacterial, antipyretic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, diuretic, febrifuge, hypotensive, stomachic, styptic, tonic, vermifuge and vulnerary[4, 9, 13, 21, 176, 218]. It has an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of Pseudomonas, Bacillus typhi, E. coli, Mycobacterium tuberculi etc[176]. It can be used fresh or dried, for drying it is best harvested in mid-summer[4]. The plant is experimentally antibiotic and hypotensive[218, 222].

• Alterative - Causes a gradual beneficial change in the body, usually through improved nutrition and elimination, without having any marked specific action.
• Antibacterial - Kills bacteria.
• Antibiotic - An agent that inhibits or destroys a living organism. It usually refers to bacteria or other micro-organisms and is probably synonymous with Antibacterial
• Antipyretic - Treats fevers. See Febrifuge.
• Antiseptic - Preventing sepsis, decay or putrefaction, it destroys or arrests the growth of micro-organisms.
• Antispasmodic - Relaxes muscular spasms and cramps, calming nervous irritation.
• Astringent - Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
• Carminative - Reduces flatulence and expels gas from the intestines.
• Diuretic - Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
• Febrifuge - Reduces fevers.
• Hypotensive - Reduces blood pressure, it is used in the treatment of high blood pressure
• Stomachic - Aids and improves the action of the stomach.
• Styptic - An astringent that stops bleeding by contracting the blood vessels.
• Tonic - Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
• Vermifuge - Expels and kills internal parasites.
• Vulnerary - Promotes the healing of wounds.

Propagation

Seed - sow in mid spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient seed then it can be sown outdoors in situ in mid to late spring. Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

An olive-green dye is obtained from the flowers and stems[168]. The plant is a good ground-cover in sunny positions or light shade[200].

• Dye - Plants that provide dyes.
• Ground cover - Usually low growing plants that can be grown with other plants, especially shrubs and trees, to prevent the growth of weeds.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Flora of the British Isles.
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Author: Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Rating:
Publisher : A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
Date of Publication : 1962

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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