Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris), packet of 50 seeds, organic
$3.95
Family: Mint (Lamiaceae)
Hardy to Zones 3 to 9
(Heal-All, Heart-of-the-Earth, Self Heal) Creeping herbaceous perennial, native to the northern hemisphere of Earth. In the garden or among the grasses on the lawn, a floral focal point or a surprising splash of color that gladdens the heart. Traditional usage (TWM): astringent, analgesic, antiviral, open sores of the oral mucosa, herpes. The cob-like cluster of hairy bracts with associated purple corollas are most useful. Pick at full flowering glory and dry in the shade, then set aside for making tea. The plant prefers full sun to shade and moist soils. If you bump them up with organic compost, they can be highly florific and stunning, otherwise a small demure blinking blue eye in the grasses. Sow seed in early spring or cold-condition in moist medium in the refrigerator (not the freezer) for a week or two before sowing in warm soil. Really a very easy plant to start and to grow. Flowers purple from 6 inches to 22 inches, depending on how much compost is used and how much competition is experienced from grasses. Space plants 1 foot apart. If kept weeded, they will produce a monotypic colony.
50 seeds/pkt., Certified Organically Grown
In stock
Anna HENNESSEY –
I love all of the plants I’ve grown from this site. This is how I started my medicine garden. Comfrey, calendula, yarrow…plants I’m no longer willing to live without. My favorite of all, though, is the Prunella Vulgaris, or Self-heal. I make a syrup of the fresh plant in food-grade vegetable glycerin and water and it’s an amazing medicine for viral or bacterial ailments. Sometimes a SINGLE tablespoon is all that’s required. I also use it with other skin nourishing and antibacterial herbs to make an antibacterial, skin regenerating ointment- WITHOUT petroleum jelly, which no one should ever use. My patch of this plant doubles itself every year, but this is so important that I’m ordering more so that I have more than one patch to harvest from.
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JulieAnn Nugent-Head –
any history of dying out after covering with mulch? we had a wonderful patch of about 1000 plants, but after we covered them with mulch last fall, not a single one seems to have returned. a few are popping up on the edge of the bed where the mulch layer was less thick. thoughts?
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Richo Cech –
Hi JulieAnn, Sounds like we need to be careful not to mulch on top of self heal we want to keep. it is rhizomatous and dwells naturally among grasses. richo
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Jean Thomas (verified owner) –
I have not yet started these seeds. Wanted to comment on how quickly I received my order and how well the seeds were packaged. My area was in the process of getting 4” of rain and the bubble envelope was quite damp when I received it. When I opened it expecting to find damp seed packets, I found them safely enclosed in a cellophane envelope. So pleased with the extra effort in protecting them,
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Dawn Paterson –
12 of 12 seeds germinated in 3 weeks this spring.
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chuck –
Is this Spica Prunellae?
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Richo Cech –
Hi, That’s pharmaceutical Latin for Self Heal (Prunella vulgaris) flowers. Richo
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Question
Wendy (verified owner) –
is this Prunella vulgaris the subspecies lanceolata or vulgaris? Does one have more medicinal value over the other? Thank you!
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Richo Cech –
This is not the ssp lanceolata. I would stick with the vulgaris for medicinal use.
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Kaen –
Is it annual or perennial?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Karen,
thanks for contacting! If you double-click on the photo you get the monograph that explains these kinds of things. Here’s a clip from self-heal: Creeping herbaceous perennial, native to Europe.
Richo
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Lila McClellan –
I had this plant in my greenhouse in a pot with the soil moderately moist and plenty of sun but it died. It just diasappeared. Maybe it doesn’t like temps that are 80°? Of maybe it wasn’t moist enough soil? I don’t think it had a bug infestation, at least I didn’t notice any. Any suggestions?
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Richo Cech –
hi lila, thanks for writing and sorry about the self heal. bugs don’t really eat self heal. it likes to grow in a shady area and will take full sun as long as the roots are relatively moist and cool (like in a grass thatch). Probably in the greenhouse the roots just got too hot. Keep going, each one of these occurrences can be considered like an experiment, and we move on, making use of the results. RAC
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Lila McClellan (verified owner) –
can I sow these seeds in the fall outside in zone 5?
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Richo Cech –
hi lila, thanks for wanting to grow this dainty little medicinal. it would be better to plant in a pot in a greenhouse now, or to plant outdoors in the spring. r
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