Prunella
vulgaris
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Prunella vulgaris |
Prunella vulgaris Photo
- Walter Wilson |
Species
Self-heal,
all-heal, heal-all, Brunella (Prunella
vulgaris)
“Fibrous-rooted perennial
from a short rhizome or stem-base; stems solitary or clustered, erect to
spreading or even reclining, leafy, square in cross-section, usually unbranched, 10-50 cm long or tall.
Leaves [are] opposite,
relatively few, lance-egg-shaped to oblong or elliptic, minutely hairy to
hairless, stalked; [leaf] margins smooth or obscurely toothed.
Flowers [are] purplish to pink [...], 1-2
cm long, short-stalked; sepals united in a 2-lipped, spine-tipped tube; petals
fused into 2-lipped tube, upper lip hooded and bonnet-like, lower lip 3 lobed
(the middle lobe fringed); 4 stamens; 4-lobed ovary; numerous in dense,
spike-like cluster atop the stem.” [5]
“Self-heal apparently
consists of native plants (ssp. lanceolata)
and introduced plants from
Range
Widespread.
NORTH to
Climate, elevation
USDA zones 04a-09b [1], [3]
Sea level to
1,720 meters. [6]
Local occurrence
Common.
Forest edges; outer, raised margins of
wetlands (less common); vernal wetlands; south Puget Sound prairies; meadows;
fields; and clearings. [5], [6]
Habitat preferences
Mesic to dry roadsides; waste places; lawns; fields and open forests
in the lowland, steppe and montane zones. [5], [6]
Plant strategy type/successional
stage
Weed/colonizer,
can be seral at many successional
stages, or part of a climax community (such as a south
Associated species
- Abies
grandis
- Pseudotsuga
menziesii
- Tsuga
heterophylla
- Thuja
plicata
- Alnus
rubra
- Acer macrophyllum
- Acer circinatum
- Quercus
garryana
- Agrostis
scabra
- Elymus
glaucus
- Festuca
idahoensis
- Fragraria
virginiana
- Fragraria
vesca
- Potentilla
palustris
-
-
- Physocarpus
capitatus
- Gaultheria shallon
- Holodiscus
discolor
- Salix spp.
- Amelanchier
alnifolia
- Symphoricarpos
albus
- Daucus
carota
May be collected as:
- Dried flower heads (four nutlets/seeds per head)
- Division
- Rooted stolons
- Direct removal for transplanting
Collection restrictions or guidelines
Prunella vulgaris is a perennial herbaceous plant that blooms from June through
October. Division can occur any time
plants are found. In a mild climate,
division can take place any time of the year.. Stolon collection can occur whenever rooting stolons can be found.
Seed collection is most easily accomplished
by collecting flower heads at the end of their growing season (September,
October, November).
Seed germination
Seeds can be sown on-site in densities that
are varied according to desired germination and survival outcomes. [2],
[3]
Plant mortality should be factored into any
restoration project using Prunella vulgaris seeds on-site (in situ). [2]
When seeds are grown in greenhouses or cold
frames, they are transplanted (approximately eight weeks [3]) when they are
large enough to handle. [4]
Germination occurs within two to three
weeks. [3]
Seed life
Seeds can be stored; I am unable to verify
the shelf-life and storage conditions at present.
Recommended seed storage conditions
Unable to
verify.
Propagation recommendations
Prunella vulgaris can be propagated by stolon,
division, or seed. Propagation by stolon yields larger plants in a shorter amount of growing
time. Stolons
root wherever they touch soil.
Cold-stratify seeds for approximately one
month. [3]
Seeds can be started in flats, and when the
plants are large enough to handle (approximately eight weeks [3]) they can be
transplanted into individual pots and grown to the desired size. Seeds may also be sown directly on site,
preferably in late Fall to early Spring. [4]
Soil or medium requirements
Soil requirements are not exacting. [4] Prunella
vulgaris will grow in sandy soil, volcanic ash
soil, loamy soil, and clay soil. Soil
moisture requirements range from an average of mesic
to a maximum of hydric. [6] Once established, Prunella
vulgaris can tolerate xeric conditions found
late-season in Mediterranean climates.
[7]
Installation form
Seeds can be sown on site,
however the best strategy for a successful installation is to transplant plants
with six or more leaves. [7]
Recommended planting density
Typical forest edge density is
approximately three to ten plants per square meter at 800 meters elevation near
Mount Rainier/White Pass (
Around sunny forest edges where the soil is
extremely well-drained (pumice and volcanic ash), three plants (groupings of
plants approximately 10 cm across) per square meter is average. [7]
Care requirements after installed
Prunella vulgaris should not be allowed to dry-out during its first growing
season. Soil should be kept barely moist
to damp in partially-shaded plantings, and moist in full-sun plantings. It is best (in the Pacific NW) to plant
during the winter rainy season. [7]
After plants are established, high soil
moisture will cause increased (even weedy) growth. Established plants can tolerate extended dry
periods [3] but do best when soil is consistently moist enough to prevent roots
from drying out.
Normal rate of growth or spread; lifespan
Highly
variable growth rate. Under cultivation and ideal conditions
(observed without the addition of any fertilizers), plants can spread
approximately 45 cm in a growing season.
In the grand fir (Abies grandis) forests near
Prunella vulgaris is a perennial that can remain evergreen in mild climates. [1],
[5], [7]
A single plant may live from three to ten
years. [1]
Plants spread most aggressively/primarily
via stolons.
Sources cited
1. Crescent Bloom: Prunella vulgaris. Retrieved April 28, 2006 from
the World Wide Web: <http://www.crescentbloom.com/Plants/Specimen/PO/Prunella
vulgaris.htm>
2. Clark, Deborah L., and Mark V. Wilson.
(2003). Post-Dispersal
Seed Fates of Four Prairie Species.
American Journal of Botany 90, pp 730-735.
3. Germination Requirements of Herbs Grown in KSU Trials. Retrieved May 04, 2006 from the
World Wide Web: <http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/ksherbs/Table%2011.htm> with related page at:
<http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/ksherbs/heal_all.htm>
4. Plants for a Future (Prunella
vulgaris).
Retrieved April 28, 2006 from the World Wide Web: <http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Prunella+vulgaris>
5. Pojar, Jim, et al. (1994). Plants
of the
6. Prunella vulgaris.
7. Personal observations of Walter Wilson (1996 through 2006). UBNA (
Data compiled by
Walter S. Wilson, 02 May 2006