How to Grow Self-heal
Prunella vulgaris
Self-heal is a tough, low-growing native perennial that spreads to form dense ground cover. It thrives in sun or partial shade on almost any soil, tolerates foot traffic and mowing, and flowers prolifically from June to September with purple-violet flower spikes beloved by bees. Plant 30 cm apart for ground cover or allow it to naturalise in a wildflower lawn. Needs virtually no care once established.
Yearly Lifecycle
Care Essentials
Self-heal rarely needs feeding. A light top-dressing of compost in spring is sufficient for most soils.
Watch For
- Powdery mildew in dry conditions
- Slugs on young growth
Companions
Clover, Wild thyme, Bird's-foot trefoil, Ajuga
Track your Self-heal care schedule — pruning, feeding, and seasonal tasks
Start planning freeCare Requirements
☀️ Light
Full sun to full shade; flowers best in sun
Self-heal is remarkably adaptable and grows in full sun, partial shade, or even deep shade. Flowering is most prolific in sunny positions but the plant persists well in shade.
💧 Watering
Minimal once established; tolerates drought
Water newly planted self-heal until established. Once settled, it rarely needs supplemental water except in prolonged drought. Tolerates both dry and damp soils.
🌱 Fertilizing
No feeding needed on most soils
Self-heal thrives on poor to average soils without supplemental feeding. Excess fertility encourages lank growth and reduces flowering. A thin layer of compost in spring is ample if soil is very poor.
✂️ Pruning
Cut back after flowering to tidy and prevent excess spread
Shear or mow after the main flowering flush to prevent self-seeding, tidy the plant, and encourage a possible second flush. Remove dead growth in early spring.
Growing Tips
Let it spread
Self-heal spreads by runners and self-seeding. In a wildflower lawn, this is a feature. In borders, contain with an edge or cut back after flowering.
Mow high for flowers
If using as a lawn alternative, set mower blades to 7-10 cm to allow flower spikes to form and feed pollinators.
Tough as nails
Self-heal tolerates drought, poor soil, foot traffic, and shade. If it looks tatty after flowering, a hard trim refreshes it quickly.
Log Self-heal in your garden — track growth, care, and harvests year after year
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