Practical
Plants

Prunella vulgaris

Self-Heal

a perennial member of the Prunella genus in the family Labiatae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Labiatae
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.15 m
Spread
0.3 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - raw or cooked[18]. They can be used in salads, soups, stews etc[8]. Somewhat bitter due to the presence of tannin in the leaves, though this can be removed by washing the leaves[7]. A cold water infusion of the freshly chopped or dried and powdered leaves is used as a refreshing beverage[3][8]. Very tasty[4].

Product or use
Drink
Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Self heal has a long history of folk use, especially in the treatment of wounds, ulcers, sores etc[17]. It was also taken internally as a tea in the treatment of fevers, diarrhoea, sore mouth, internal bleeding etc[16][12]. In Korea it is used to treat oedema, nephritis, scrofula and goitre[15]. The whole plant is alterative, antibacterial, antipyretic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, diuretic, febrifuge, hypotensive, stomachic, styptic, tonic, vermifuge and vulnerary[16][18][2][10][6][11]. It has an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of Pseudomonas, Bacillus typhi, E. coli, Mycobacterium tuberculi etc[6]. It can be used fresh or dried, for drying it is best harvested in mid-summer[16]. The plant is experimentally antibiotic and hypotensive[11][12].

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

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An olive-green dye is obtained from the flowers and stems[4]. The plant is a good ground-cover in sunny positions or light shade[9].

Product or use
Dye

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to N. Africa and temperate Asia.
Habitat
Waste ground, grassland, woodland edges etc, usually on basic and neutral soils[18][5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Thrives in any damp soil[1], in full sun or in light shade[13]. 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[14].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3

    ↩

  3. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩

  4. Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8

    ↩1↩2

  5. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

  6. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  7. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  8. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  10. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩

  11. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2

  12. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2

  13. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩

  14. Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.

    ↩

  15. Medicinal Plants in the Republic of Korea World Health Organisation, Manila 1998-00-00 ISBN 92 9061 120 0

    ↩

  16. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  17. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩

  18. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2↩3

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