Self Heal

Prunella vulgaris

Familv Name: Lamiaceae/Labiatae

Pharmaceutical Name: Spica Prunellae

Common names: Woundwort, Heal-all, Hookheal, Heart of the earth, Pimpernel, Sickle wort, Carpenters herb. Brunella was the Medieval Latin word for tonsillitis, which it was and is still used for.

Description: Selftreal is an evergreen perennial and has mid green ovate pointed leaves on square stems, (which are typical to this family), that creep along the ground, layering themselves as they go. The lovely flower spikes rise up above the foliage with whorls of many small purple flowers, which if you magnify are hooded and lipped, surrounded by green calyces which are tinged maroon with fine white hairs. It grows prolifically in the garden and makes an efficient ground cover. Flowering from spring to autumn.

Propagation: Separate new plants which grow from stolons from the mother plant as it creeps along the ground, or from seed. It will grow in most situations but prefers not to dry out, so semi-shade is ideal.

Parts used: All aerial parts and medicinally generally during the flowering period. Nutrition: - Vitamins A, B1, c, and K and trace minerals. A strong anti-oxidant. Culinary: Use as an herb tea along with your favour herbs. For it’s anti-oxidant proper ties -eat it-the leaves are a bit rough so chop them up very fine and mix them withother salad greens, use them in a sandwich.

Character: a bit sweet, bitter, astringent and pungent, cold, dry relaxing, calming.

Medicinal use: As self heal is astringent then it can be used to ‘tighten’tissue and aid with such conditions as diarrhoea, haemorrhoids (cream or ointment), - make sure you get this checked out medically first, to find what the cause is and use this as a cream to help heal tissues. As an eye wash for conjunctivitis or tired, itchy or strained eyes. As a garglelmouth wash for sore throats and mouth or gum infections/ inflammations. As a poultice or compress it can be used for clean wounds. We take this very useful herb for granted as a weed in the garden and it gets no honour by most people. Recently it has been ‘discovered’to be one of natures best anti-oxidants so why buy tablets when you can grow a plant that is both attractive and beneficial?

Home Remedies: - Dry the flower heads, grind in your coffee grinder and add other herbs to make your own anti-oxidant mix (see recipe overleaf).

Caution: Avoid using therapeutically when digestive deficiency is present.

Recommended Reading:
The Essential Herb Garden by Gilian Painter (published by Viking, ISBN 0-670-86473-0)

Seed packs are available from Kings Seeds, P O Box 283, Katikati. Tel 07 549 3408

Prepared by Lyn Gowthorpe
For The Herb Federation of New Zealand’s Herb Awareness Week l3-20 March 2005