Common self-heal - Prunella vulgaris

Common Name :	Common self-heal, Heal-all.
Binomial Name :	Prunella vulgaris
Family :	Lamiaceae
Photo Taken :	Ireland

Common self-heal is a herbaceous plant that is native to Europe, Asia and North America. Botanical name of the weed plant is Prunella vulgaris. It belongs to the plant family Lamiaceae (mint family). This is a medicinal plant and it has few fancy names such as Common self-heal, Heal-all, Carpenter's herb, Woundwort, etc.

Common self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) is a creeping herbaceous plant that grows up to 30 cm in height. This plant has a soft stem, and leafs are oppositely arranged around the stem. Shape of the leafs are oblong or ovate. This plant grows around roadside, woodlands, garden, etc places with with other plants.

Common self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) are attractive purple colour and showy. A cylinder shaped cluster uses to emerge from the apex of a stem which bears a lot of small flowers. Each small flowers are having a shape of typical mint flowers (i.e. having upper and lower lips).

The leaf of the plant is edible. Leafs can be used in salad, or in soup as a herb. The plant has lot of medicinal benefit as well. It past people used this plant near the wound for its anti inflammatory content. That's why it got its name Woundwort. People benefited for sore throat while gargling with this plant in water. More health benefits and side effects can be found here.

Photos of Common self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) were taken from Ireland during July 2019. This plant grows abundantly in Ireland. Blooming season for the flower is June to September in Ireland.


Written by Lonely Traveler,
For blog icflora.blogspot.com