Common Self Heal Prunella vulgaris subsp. lanceolata
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- proo-NELL-uh vul-GAIR-iss subspecies lan-see-oh-LAY-tah
- Description
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Prunella vulgaris subsp. lanceolata, or Selfheal, is a short, perennial wildflower in the mint family that can be recognized by its erect, flowering spikes and hairy bracts. It is a low growing plant produces dense clusters of flowers each with an intricate two petal arrangement, the upper petal forming a hood, and all in shades of purple and lavender.
This very adaptive plant can be grown under most soil, light and PH conditions, but it prefers full to partial sun and moist to slightly dry soil that is rich in organic content. It can be grown in full sun but may need some shade in hot dry conditions.
The leaves can be eaten cooked or raw. They are used in stews, soups, and salads. Wash the leaves to remove the bitter-tasting tannin (yellowish-brown bitter-tasting organic substance) prior to eating. An olive-green dye can be extracted from the flowers and stems.
Propagate from seed or by dividing in spring or fall. New plants should be kept moist their first year. The plant tolerates some drought, but prolonged dry spells will cause it to drop lower leaves and turn greenish yellow. This plant is a good ground cover in sunny sites, but it can become rather weedy and aggressive.
Two varieties of this species are known, with lanceolata being taller and erect, native to North America, and with lanceolate leaves. Prunella vulgaris subsp. vulgaris is a lawn weed introduced from Eurasia.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems:
Its tendency to profligate in damp, moist conditions may cause it to become a troublesome weed in turf with the same conditions.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Prunella
- Species:
- vulgaris subsp. lanceolata
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The plant has a long history in folk medicine as a treatment for wounds.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- East Asia, Japan, Korea, North and Central America
- Distribution:
- Alaska south to Guatemala.
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts bumblebees and butterflies. The plant is the host plant for the Clouded Sulfur butterfly.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Easy to Grow
- Edibility:
- The leaves are edible.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Weed
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Creeping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Each flower produces 4 tiny brown, angular, finely ridged seeds. The seeds, enclosed in a calyx, may be fling into the air when a raindrop strikes the ridged calyx tube, thus distributing the seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small bluish to lavender or whitish flowers in a cylinder-shaped head; large greenish or purple-tinged, bristly fringed bracts. Each tubular flower is about ½" long and divided into 2 lips. The upper lip is light purple and functions as a hood, while the lower lip is white and fringed.The blooming period occurs from mid- to late summer and lasts about a month.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- 1 to 4 inch long and 3/4 inch wide, egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves and long slender stalks. There are some low teeth on the margins. The leaves have short petioles and white hairs along the central vein on their undersides.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Square
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Long slender, unbranched stalk. The erect central stem has white hairs along its four angular ridges.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Rabbits
- Problems:
- Weedy