Common Name:

General Information

Prunella grandiflora is an evergreen perennial plant growing around 15cm tall.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, It is sometimes grown as an ornamental, where it can be used to form a ground cover.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Southern and central Europe to the Caucasus.

Habitat

Grassland, usually in calcareous soils[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	0.15 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Plants are hardy to about -25°c[].
Thrives in any damp soil in a shady position[, ] or in full sun[].
The sub-species Prunella grandiflora pyrenaica has larger flowers and is found wild on acid soils whilst the type species is usually found on alkaline soils[].
Plants tend to be short-lived, often dying out after flowering heavily in the summer[]. Fortunately, they will usually self-sow freely[].
Most plants are hermaphrodite but sometimes male plants are found.

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked[, , ]. A mild flavour[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

Can be used as a ground cover plant in a sunny position or light shade[, ]. It requires weeding for the first year or so[]. They are best spaced about 45cm apart each way[]. Plants have not been a reliable ground cover in Cornwall, often dying after flowering, though they usually self-sow[].

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.