by Dr. F. Alice LeDuc
Self-Heal, Heal-All – Prunella vulgaris
Let me introduce you to a pretty little wildflower that you can find throughout the forests and meadow edges of our area. Self-heal is an herbaceous perennial that is well known for its medicinal and culinary properties. In addition, it has many ecological potentials. The plant, a member of the Mint family, has single, square stems that have a compact inflorescence at the top. The plant may have a number of stems arising from the stolons and may branch in the leaf axils. The species is circumboreal in range, that is one can find it throughout the northern region of North America, Africa, Europe and Asia.
This plant like its relatives in the Mint family has zygomorphic flowers, in other words, if you look at the flower there is only one line that you can draw through the flower that will divide it into two equal halves. The flowers are two lipped and tubular, with the upper lip cupped and arching over the lower lip. The lower lip likewise forms a cup with a fringed margin. The flowers are held in a tight spike, with flowers sessile, and each flower having two leaf-like bracts on either side of it. The flowers can be found in various shades of purple, pink or occasionally white.
The leaves are opposite and have a lanceolate to ovate in shape with smooth margins; leaves each have three to seven veins that come off the mid-vein and extend to the leaf margin. At times the square stems and leaf tips may be reddish.
The plants can be easily grown from stolons or roots pieces. They are a delightful addition to one’s garden as they do well in sun, partial shade and full shade. They do best in disturbed soil, which can be found along dirt or paved roads, woodland edges, and waste areas, especially if there is some seasonal moisture. Ecological benefits come from their ability to establish after logging or forest fires. Because of their growth habit of rooting at nodes on the stolons they can form mats that help stabilize the soil surfaces. In addition, the flowers provide nectar and pollen to bees, butterflies and other insects. In addition, the foliage provides food for the larva (caterpillars) of the Clouded Sulfur Butterfly.
The plants have been used as a food source historically. They can be used raw in salads, cooked and served as a leaf vegetable. In some regions the leaves are dried and ground to a powder that is infused to create a “tea” drink.
Self-heal was used by the Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest. They would squeeze out the juice to use topically on boils. The plants were also used to treat sore throats, wounds, cold sores and skin conditions. The entire plant was either boiled or used in cold water to create a beverage. The plant contains a number of healthful chemicals that have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant and cancer fighting capabilities. It truly lives up to its common names Self-heal and Heal All.
