Prunella

( proo - NELL - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

Also called Self-Heal, Allheal, or Heal-All, this genus of flowering perennial plants includes species which need full sun to light shade and regular water to perform well in the landscape. The flowers will attract butterflies and other beneficial insects and pollinators to the garden. Prunella is native to Europe and has a creeping habit, forming low, dense mats of green foliage. Hooded flowers appear in summertime. They are vigorous, hardy plants, and have a tendency to overwhelm their neighbors. Use these low-growing plants as a groundcover or lawn alternative or to control erosion in sloped areas of the yard.

Prunella Species and Varietals

The genus Prunella is a member of the plant family Lamiaceae and includes 13 species. The plants in this genus are related to those in Clinopodium (Calamint), Coleus, Dracocephalum (Dragonhead), Hyptis (Bushmint), Mentha (Mint), and Ocimum (Basil). Self-Heal grows best in USDA hardiness zones 3-9 or Sunset growing zones 2-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Prunella grandiflora (Large-Flowered Self-Heal, Self-Heal, Large Self-Heal)
Flowering stems reach 1.5 feet tall and support purple blossoms. The species is native to Europe, the Caucasus, and regions of West Asia. Many cultivars of this species are available for purchase at nurseries; choice selections are listed and described below:

'Blue Loveliness'
With blue-purple flowers.

'Freelander Blue'
A compact plant with violet-blue blossoms.

'Pink Loveliness'

'White Loveliness'
White blossoms.

Prunella laciniata (Cutleaf Selfheal, Cut-Leaved Selfheal, Cut Leaved Heal All)
These plants are native to Europe, and is commonly grown as a garden ornamental around the world. This species will occasionally escape cultivation and become a resident of natural landscapes in the eastern United States. Flowers are white, purple, yellow, or blue and foliage is green. Individual plants reach up to between 2 and 12 inches tall when mature and in bloom and have a spread of about 18 inches.

Prunella vulgaris (Common Self-Heal, Heal-All, Heart-of-the-Earth, Carpenter's Herb, Brownwort, Blue Curls, Woundwort)
This species of Self-Heal has flowers in pink or purple on stems that reach a foot tall. Stems are creeping and self-rooting. They are square and reddish, and leaves are lance-shaped and reddish at their tips when new. Flowers bloom in spring and summertime (from June through August). This species is considered invasive in New Zealand, Hawai'i, and various Pacific Islands.

Caring for Prunella

These easy-care perennial plants are best planted in the spring or fall, about 1 to 3 feet apart (though this depends on the mature size of the specific type grown). For groundcover purposes, plant 1 foot apart. They enjoy a space in the garden that receives full sun during the day; ideally, they like between 6 and 8 hours, but they can also do well in partial shade as well (especially in warmer climates). Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich, and high in organic matter. They appreciate a soil pH of between 5.0 and 8.0 (acidic to alkaline). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Water newly planted Prunella regularly to help it develop a strong root system. At maturity, these plants are drought-tolerant, able to get by on rainwater alone with some supplemental waterings in the warmest months of the year.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. These plants are not heavy feeders, and this should be sufficient to provide the necessary nutrients for the active growing and flowering seasons. Shear plants back after their initial flowering to clean up foliage and encourage a second bloom to pop. They can look a bit floppy, weedy, and sprawling in the summertime, and some varieties will reseed freely. To discourage reseeding, take off flowering spikes before they can set seed. If grown as a lawn, these flowers can be mowed and will continue to rebloom all season long. Every so often, these plants will need to be divided for health. For instructions on how to divide Prunella plants, see the Propagation section below. These plants can survive for decades in the garden, and spread via creeping stems, providing new plants for the landscape indefinitely.

Harvesting Prunella
Prunella, or Self-Heal, plants are cultivated for their edible plant parts, including stems, foliage, and flowers. The primary species grown as an edible is Prunella vulgaris. The best time to harvest is in the spring or summer when plants are in active growth. In the morning after dew has dried but before the heat of the day sets in, use clean, sharp shears or snips to remove tender stem tips, leaves, and flowers. They can be used fresh in tea, salads, or smoothies, or cooked into soups and stews. They have a mildly bitter, earthy flavor similar to Romaine lettuce.

Disclaimer: Information contained on this website is strictly and categorically intended as a reference to be used in conjunction with experts in your area. Foraging and consumption of plant parts should never begin without the guidance and approval of a local plant specialist. The providers of this website accept no liability for the use or misuse of information contained in this website.

Propagation

Prunella, or All-Heal, can be propagated either by division or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the division method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Prunella flowers, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Prunella by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed heads on plants are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will continue to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
In either late winter or early springtime, get your container prepared. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 10-20 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Propagating Prunella by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil, compost and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in very early spring (after the plant has entered dormancy, but before it has begun its new spring growth), and needs to be done every few years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance. To propagate by division, follow these steps:

Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the root(s). Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out.
Start to tease apart the roots with your fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick root section attached.
Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your divisions and water thoroughly.
Apply a thick layer of mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout in the next growing season.

Prunella seed heads are cone-like spikes that turn brown and papery when mature. Each individual flower calyx holds four seeds.

Prunella seeds are shiny, tiny, smooth nutlets.

Problems and Pests

Prunella plants are not typically bothered by pests or diseases. For more information on these pests and diseases, including how to treat and prevent them, consult the following pages:

Pests & Pest Management

Plant Issues