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Prunella Uber Alles

© Jojo Sigurgeirson

Prunellas are adaptable plants which grow in most soils, but especially moist soils, and often in the shade. The are also known as Self-heal and All-heal.

Prunella vulgaris makes a lovely ground cover for moist shady areas. It is often found as a weed in lawns, blooming deep purple at any cool and mild time of the year. A lawn interspersed with naturalized bulbs, english daisies, creeping veronica and our friend prunella is said to be in bloom almost all year round. With all those plant, it is not likely that there would be any grass! In cold climates prunella can be used as an edge. They also make a nice cover around deciduous ferns, and grow very well in combination with german irises.

People say this flower is too common to be taken seriously. However, I ask you to take a close look to see the beautiful purples and blues of the intricate flower. This simple formation is mint-like in it's colour and form and salvia-like in its coloured bracts. As the season wears on, the flowering stalk becomes stout and fat, as the season cools, the bracts and petals darken in colour.

Prunella grandiflora has much larger flowers and is considered far superior to the above for use in flower beds and borders. It also grows much taller (to 18 inches - or 45 cm - tall), and it's habit is not quite so invasive.

Prunella x webbiana is a hybrid between two other types of Prunella, and the parent of many of the lighter-coloured prunellas. The leaves are pleasently lobed. This all-heal will grow to about 30 cm (1 foot) tall.

Best of all, Prunellas are hardy to USDA Zone 4, and Prunella vulgaris is hardy to zone 2.

There are other Prunellas available as well, and certianly many in the world. If you find a prunella and think you are attracted to it's charms, remember that they are very hardy, tough as nails, but perhaps a bit INVASIVE!

Increasing
Prunellas divide very well, despite the fact that many texts will have you beleive that they resent being disturbed. Really the key to this is dividing them while they are actively growing, and then keeping them very moist afterwards.

They also increase themselves constantly by keeling over and rooting. Any leaf joint that touches suitable earth will root, so if you are wanting to have alot of Prunella to divide next year, get out there now and pin down some stems.

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