Harvesting Self Heal Plant and Its Various Uses

Self Heal, scientifically known as Prunella vulgaris, is a resilient plant species that belongs to the Lippenblütler family (Lamiaceae). This plant has a remarkable natural distribution, found in nearly all continents of the northern hemisphere, particularly in temperate climates.

Global Presence

Self Heal is cosmopolitan in its distribution, meaning it naturally occurs across almost all continents in the northern hemisphere, with a preference for temperate zones:

Europe: Wide parts of Europe, ranging from the British Isles to Russia and from Scandinavia to Southern Europe.
Asia: Including Siberia, China, Japan, Korea, and the Himalayas.
North America: From Canada to the United States and Mexico, spanning both the East and the West.
Smaller Occurrences: Also found in North Africa and even in the mountainous regions of New Guinea, as well as an introduced species in parts of South America and Australia.

Genetic Origin

The genetic origin of the species is believed to be in Eurasia, most likely in the European or western Asian region. From there, it spread through natural dispersion and later human influence over vast areas of the Northern Hemisphere. In North America, Self Heal is now found both as an indigenous plant in open woodlands and prairies as well as an unwanted weed in urban, disturbed environments.

Ecology

Self Heal is an adaptable, multi-year herb that thrives in various settings, from woods to meadows, hedgerows, along roadsides, and even in urban areas. It prefers sunny to semi-shaded locations and is tolerant of a wide variety of soil types.

Characteristics

Herkunft im engeren Sinn: Most likely Europe or Western Asia
Today: Very widely distributed across the entire northern hemisphere
Habitat: Adaptable, from meadows to disturbed sites
Use: Traditionally as a medicinal plant, often viewed as a weed today

Self Heal is an excellent example of a plant that has conquered a global niche through both natural and human-induced dispersal!

Culinary Uses

Self Heal can be consumed raw or cooked and adds a delightful flavour to various dishes, such as salads, smoothies, soups, stews, casseroles, teas, and infusions.

Medicinal Uses

Self Heal can be used externally in salves, ointments, massage oils, and poultices. It can also be used in various herbal preparations for internal use, such as herbal oxymels, herbal-infused vinegar, herbal-infused honey, and simple herbal teas.

There are specific recipes for Self Heal oxymel for immune support, Self Heal serum to protect the skin, and Self Heal poultice for treating minor wounds.

Other Edible Wild Weeds

Apart from Self Heal, other edible wild weeds include Chickweed, Yarrow, Wild Violets, and Fireweed (Rosebay Willowherb).

Distinguishing Features

Self Heal can be distinguished from plants like Henbit by its ovate to lance-shaped leaves, typically about one inch long and a little more than half an inch wide, arranged oppositely on the stem, and may have smooth or obscurely toothed edges. Henbit leaves, on the other hand, are more roundish with deeply scalloped margins, have petioles on its lower leaves, and narrower flowers without fringed lower lips.

Self Heal flowers are tubular and have two lips, with the top lip usually purple and the bottom lip often white or purple, but they may also be bluish or pinkish. The flowers of Purple Dead Nettle, another similar plant, transition from green to purple-red or pinkish near the top of the stem, have fuzzy leaves, and heart or arrow-shaped leaves rather than ovate or lance-shaped leaves.

Self Heal leaves are kidney or fan-shaped with round toothed edges, attached to the stem by petioles from their center, and reproduce with stolons, stems that run along the ground and root at nodes. The flowers have four stamens and hairy bracts beneath them.

Self Heal stems are square and typically between 2 and 12 inches tall, tough, and reddish in color. The leaves are typically green but may be gray-green or reddish at the tip.

Self Heal produces smooth, shiny brown nutlets as seeds, which typically ripen between August and September.

Other summer foraging options include Saskatoons (Serviceberries), Wild Black Cherries, and Chokecherries.