Common Self Heal

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Common Self Heal

Prunella vulgaris

Other names: heal all, woundwort, heart of the earth, carpenter’s herb, brownwort, blue curls

Family: Lamiaceae (Mint Family)

Range: Europe, Asia and North America

Native: Native

Native Habitat: Woodland edges, disturbed habitat, lawns

Bloom Time: May to September

Notes:

The plant is edible, and can be used in salads, or steeped as a beverage.
Prunella is derived from ‘Brunella’, which comes from “die Bräune”, the German name for quinsy (a type of throat inflammation), which it was historically used to cure. (1) It’s found in traditional medicine all over the world.

There are two subspecies in New England – Prunella vulgaris var. lanceolata is a native, while Prunella vulgaris var. elongatea is introduced. (2)

Locations in Photos:
Mackworth Island State Park, Falmouth, ME
Portland, ME
Ellsworth, ME
Assabet National Wildlife Refuge, Sudbury, MA
Crescent Beach State Park, Cape Elizabeth, ME
Wolfes Neck Woods State Park, Freeport, ME
Coastal Maine Botanical Garden, Boothbay, ME
Two Lights State Park, Cape Elizabeth, ME
Molly Stark Trail (Route 9), VT
Spohr Garden, Falmouth, MA
Fort McClary State Historic Site, Kittery, ME
Cathedral of the Pines, Rindge, NH

Resources:

Wikipedia (1)

USDA Plant Profiles

Wildflower.org

Native American Ethnobotany Database

Go Botany (2)

Kew Plants of the World Online

Plants for a Future

Microscopy UK – Really neat, very close up pictures.

Illinois Wildflowers

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3/5/23 Updated to current WordPress format.