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Heal-All
Prunella vulgaris
Other Names:
Prunella, All-Heal, Hook-Heal, Self Heal,
Slough-Heal, Brunella, Heart of the Earth, Blue Curls, Carpenter-weed,
Common Selfheal, Consolida Minor, Lance Selfheal, Sicklewort, Woundwort,
Xia Ku Cao
Prunella
Vulgaris Salve and Liquid Wash
Photo by
Karen Bergeron Copyright 2007 |
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Habitat
Heal All is a perennial
herb found throughout Europe, Asia, Japan and the U. S., and most
temperate climates. Its origin seems to be European, though it has
been documented in other countries since before any history of
travel. Prunella Vulgaris is often found growing in waste ground,
grassland, woodland edges, usually on basic and neutral soils.
Cultivation:
Heal-All thrives in any damp soil in full sun or in light shade. Plants
are apt to become troublesome weeds in turf that is at all damp. Self heal
is a good plant for growing in the spring meadow. Sow seed in very early
spring in a flat outdoors, or give a short cold and moist conditioning
treatment before sowing in a warm place.
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Prunella Description
Growing from 1 to 2 feet high,
with creeping, self-rooting, tough, square, reddish stems branching at
leaf axis. The leaves are lance shaped, serrated and reddish at tip, about
an inch long and 1/2 inch broad, grow on short stalks in opposite pairs
down the square stem. The flowers grow from a clublike, somewhat square,
whirled cluster, immediately below this club are a pair of stalkless
leaves standing out on either side like a collar. Flowers are two lipped
and tubular, the top lip is a purple hood, and the bottom lip is often
white, it has three lobes with the middle lobe being larger and fringed
upwardly. Flowers bloom at different times depending on climate and other
conditions. Mostly from June to August. Gather whole plant when flowers
bloom, dry for later herb use. Leaves and small flowers are edible. |
Properties
Heal-All is edible and
medicinal, can be used in salads, soups, stews, or boiled as a pot herb.
Used as an alternative medicine for centuries on just about every
continent in the world, and for just about every ailment known to man,
Heal-All is something of a panacea, it does seem to have some medicinal
uses that are constant. The plants most useful constituents are
Betulinic-acid, D-Camphor, Delphinidin, Hyperoside, Manganese,
Oleanolic-acid, Rosmarinic-acid, Rutin, Ursolic-acid, and Tannins. The
whole plant is medicinal as alterative, antibacterial, antipyretic,
antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, diuretic, febrifuge,
hypotensive, stomachic, styptic, tonic, vermifuge and vulnerary. A cold
water infusion of the freshly chopped or dried and powdered leaves is a
very tasty and refreshing beverage, weak infusion of the plant is an
excellent medicinal eye wash for sties and pinkeye. It is taken internally
as a medicinal tea in the treatment of fevers, diarrhoea, sore mouth and
throat, internal bleeding, and weaknesses of the liver and heart. Clinical
analysis shows it to have an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth
of pseudomonas, Bacillus typhi, E. coli, Mycobacterium tuberculi, which
supports its use as an alternative medicine internally and externally as
an antibiotic and for hard to heal wounds and diseases. It is showing
promise in research for cancer, AIDS, diabetes, and many other maladies.
Folklore
Once proclaimed to be a Holy
herb and thought to be sent by God to cure all ailments of man or beast,
and said to drive away the devil, which lead to the belief that Heal-All
was grown in the Witches garden as a disguise. The root was used to make a
tea to drink in ceremonies before going hunting by one Native American
tribe to sharpened the powers of observation.
Recipe
Medicinal
tea or infusion: Add 1 oz. dried or fresh herb to a pint of boiling water,
steep till cool, take in ½ cup doses, sweetened with honey, as a general
strengthener.
Article by Deb Jackson
& Karen Bergeron
Read more about Prunella as a promising natural Herpes remedy.
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