Common Name: Self-Heal

General Information

Prunella vulgaris is a herbaceous perennial plant that can grow up to 15cm tall
The plant is harvested from the wild for use as a medicine and food. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental, where it can be used as a ground cover.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Widespread through the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere, though absent from the most northerly regions, and extending south to the subtropics

Habitat

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

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.15 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

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

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked[]. They can be used in salads, soups, stews etc[]. Somewhat bitter due to the presence of tannin in the leaves, though this can be removed by washing the leaves[].

A cold water infusion of the freshly chopped or dried and powdered leaves is used as a refreshing beverage[, ]. Very tasty[].

Medicinal

Self heal has a long history of folk use, especially in the treatment of wounds, ulcers, sores etc[]. It was also taken internally as a tea in the treatment of fevers, diarrhoea, sore mouth, internal bleeding etc[, ]. In Korea it is used to treat oedema, nephritis, scrofula and goitre[].

The whole plant is alterative, antibacterial, antipyretic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, diuretic, febrifuge, hypotensive, stomachic, styptic, tonic, vermifuge and vulnerary[, , , , , ]. A decoction is used in the treatment of conditions such as mastitis, scrofula, goitre, ophthalmalgia, metritis, hypertension, neurodermatitis, hepatitis, furunculosis, impetigo, eczema, oliguria and leucorrhoea[].
A poultice of the pounded fresh plant is used to help wounds to heal[].
The plant can be used fresh or dried, for drying it is best harvested in mid-summer[].

The plant is experimentally antibiotic and hypotensive[, ].
The plant has been shown to have an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of bacteria such as Pseudomonas, Bacillus typhi, Escherichia coli, Mycobacterium tuberculi etc[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is a good ground-cover in sunny positions or light shade[].

Other Uses

An olive-green dye is obtained from the flowers and stems[].

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.