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Summary

Physical Characteristics

Prunella vulgaris is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in) by 0.3 m (1ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

Ground Cover; Lawn; Meadow;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves
Edible Uses: Drink

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].

References More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

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Alterative  Antibacterial  Antibiotic  Antidiarrhoeal  Antipyretic  Antiseptic  Antispasmodic  Astringent
Carminative  Diuretic  Febrifuge  Hypotensive  Stomachic  Styptic  Tonic
Vermifuge  Vulnerary

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].

References More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Dye

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].

Special Uses

Ground cover

References More on Other Uses

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].

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Plant 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.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Afghanistan, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation (Dagestan), Russian Federation (Buryatia, Gorno-Altay, Tyva, Respublika, Yakutia-Sakha, Altay, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Kemerovskaja oblast, Kurganskaja oblast, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Tomsk, Tyumen), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Russian Federation-Far East (Far East), China (Fujian Sheng, Gansu Sheng, Guangdong Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Guizhou Sheng, Henan Sheng, Hubei Sheng, Hunan Sheng, Jiangxi Sheng, Shaanxi Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu, Xizang Zizhiqu, Yunnan Sheng, Zhejiang Sheng), Korea, Japan (Hokkaidô, Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku), Taiwan TROPICAL ASIA: Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (Québec, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia), United States (Alaska, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah) EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Russian Federation (European part), Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine (incl. Krym), Former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece (incl. Crete), Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Romania, Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal AFRICA: Spain (Canarias), Portugal (Madeira Islands), Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so itâ€™s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Growth	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other
Prunella grandiflora		Perennial	0.2	4-8		LMH	SN	M	2	0	3

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

Prunella vulgaris - L.