Selfheal

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; some afternoon shade helps in hot summers.

Water

Moderate; prefers evenly moist ground but tolerates short dry spells once established.

Soil

Most reasonably drained soils, including clay and loam; tolerates a broad pH range. Avoid persistently waterlogged ground.

Height

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m), spreading farther over time

Flowers

Late spring to early autumn, mainly summer; violet-purple, two-lipped flowers in dense, short spikes.

Foliage

Opposite pairs of green, oval to lance-shaped leaves on square stems; often semi-evergreen in mild winters but dies back in colder regions.

Growth

Moderate to fast where soil stays moist

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.7 ft (0.22 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the US, Canada and the UK

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Fast

• Water new plants during dry weather until rooted; established patches need watering mainly during prolonged drought.
• Avoid routine feeding, especially in flowering lawns, where fertiliser encourages competing grasses.
• Keep creeping stems away from small, slow-growing neighbours by lifting rooted runners.
• Divide crowded patches in spring or autumn and replant into moist soil.
• Leave flowering patches unmown until the main flush finishes.

Pruning. After the main summer flowering, shear or mow back spent spikes to encourage fresh growth and sometimes more flowers. Remove flower heads before seed ripens if you want to limit spread.

Spring

Plant plugs or divisions and water them in well.

Late spring

Stop mowing selected patches so flower stems can develop.

Summer

Water during prolonged drought and remove runners that reach neighbouring plants.

Late summer

Cut back faded flower spikes, or leave some to seed where spreading is acceptable.

Autumn

Divide established patches while soil is moist and workable.

Winter

Avoid heavy foot traffic on wet planting areas to prevent compaction.

• Include in a flowering lawn with daisies and clover, allowing intervals between mowing for flowers.
• Use as a low groundcover at sunny or lightly shaded meadow edges.
• Plant between widely spaced stepping stones where foot traffic is light.
• Combine with fine grasses and low wildflowers for an informal, bee-friendly border edge.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Wildflower, Native meadow, Wildlife garden, Pollinator garden and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Common daisy, Bird's-foot trefoil, Fine fescue, Cowslip, Yarrow and Wild geranium.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar and pollen for bumblebees and other bees, with visits from butterflies and other insects. In the United States and Canada, choose locally native stock where possible; native and introduced forms occur, and their identification can be difficult.

• Unwanted spread: stems root where they touch soil, and plants self-seed; lift runners and cut flower heads before seed ripens.
• Few flowers in lawns: frequent mowing removes developing spikes; leave patches uncut through the flowering period.
• Powdery mildew: improve air circulation, avoid overcrowding and remove badly affected foliage.
• Poor growth in deep shade or drought: move to a brighter position and water during extended dry spells.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. No part is recognised as a serious poisoning hazard, although animal-specific safety information is limited; discourage pets from eating large quantities.

Where it spreads. Can spread aggressively through moist lawns and garden beds by rooting stems and seed. It is widely naturalised in temperate Australia, including New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, and can be weedy in pasture and disturbed ground. In the United States and Canada, both native and introduced forms occur; check local guidance before adding it to natural areas.

• Large-flowered selfheal (Prunella grandiflora)

  Has noticeably larger flowers, usually on taller stalks with a clear gap between the flower head and the uppermost pair of leaves; common selfheal usually has leaves close beneath the head.

• Bugle (Ajuga reptans)

  Usually forms conspicuous basal rosettes and taller spikes with flowers arranged in separated tiers, rather than selfheal's compact, blunt-ended heads.

• Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

  Has rounded, scalloped, strongly aromatic leaves and flowers arising from leaf axils along trailing stems, rather than dense terminal flower heads.

The common names selfheal and heal-all refer to its historical use as a medicinal herb, while vulgaris means common.

Propagation. Divide rooted patches in spring or autumn, or detach rooted runners and replant promptly. Sow seed shallowly in autumn or spring, keeping the seedbed moist; seed-grown plants can vary.

Accepted botanical name

Prunella vulgaris

In the US and Canada

Native in Alaska, Canada, the lower 48 states and St. Pierre and Miquelon. Introduced in Canada and Hawaii.

Native range

Afghanistan, Alabama, Alaska, Albania, Alberta, Aleutian Is., Algeria, Altay, Amur, Arizona, Arkansas and Assam.

Measured

Soil pH 5.4 to 8. Average height 11 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.