Selfheal

Prunella vulgaris

Please keep in mind that it is illegal to uproot a plant without the landowner's consent and care should be taken at all times not to damage wild plants. Wild plants should never be picked for pleasure and some plants are protected by law.
For more information please download the BSBI Code of Conduct PDF document.

Plant Data

Flowering Months:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Order:

Lamiales

Family:

Lamiaceae (Dead-nettle)

Also in this family:

Betony, Bifid Hemp-nettle, Black Horehound, Bugle, Common Hemp-nettle, Corn Mint, Cut-leaved Dead-nettle, Garden Catmint, Ground Ivy, Gypsywort, Hedge Woundwort, Lemon Balm, Marsh Woundwort, Oregano, Peppermint, Red Dead-nettle, Rosemary, Skullcap, Spearmint, Spotted Dead-nettle, Variegated Yellow Archangel, Water Mint, White Dead-nettle, Wild Basil, Wild Thyme, Wood Sage

Type:

Flower

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Maximum Size:

20 centimetres tall

Habitats:

Farmland, grassland, lawns, meadows, roadsides, wasteland, waterside, woodland.

Flower:

Purple, 2 petals

Violet, forming oblong clusters. Sepals are purple.

Fruit:

The fruit is comprised of 4 nutlets and contains a single seed.

Leaves:

The leaves are oval, pointed and grow along their stems in opposite pairs. Slightly toothed or not toothed at all. Leaves reach 5cm long.

Aroma:

Extremely little or no fragrance at all.

Other Names:

Aleutian Selfheal, All Heal, American Selfheal, Blue Curls, Brownwort, Brunella, Carpenter Weed, Carpenter's Herb, Common Selfheal, Heal-all, Heart-of-the-Earth, Hock Heal, Hook-heal, Lance Selfheal, Lanceleaf Selfheal, Prunella, Sicklewort, Slough-heal, Woundwort.

Frequency (UK):

Common

Similar Species:

Wild Basil

Distribution Map

Reproduced by kind permission of the BSBI.

Click to open an Interactive Map