Prunella vulgaris 'Magdalena' - Self Heal cultivar

Sizes available: HPP #1 (three plants per pot)

Basics: zones 3-9, 6"-8" x 12", full sun to part shade, bright purple flowers in early summer, then decorative dark maroon seedheads, adaptable but is naturally found in neutral to alkaline soils and is drought tolerant once established.

Common names: Selfheal, Heal-all, Heart-of-the-earth, Carpenter's Herb, Woundwort, Brownwort, BlueCurls, in Kashmir it is known as Kayluth

Family: Lamiaceae

Origin/Distribution: The species P. vulgaris exists all over Maine in both a native and non-native form. How can that be?, you ask. Well, the plant is native to Europe, Asia, Africa, AND North America and has a long relationship with humans in numerous cultures. The non-native version could have travelled on purpose or inadvertently to Maine. It is also invasive in places such as Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii. This is a selected form of P. vulgaris developed and introduced in 2018 by Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennials. It was selected out of a seedbed of open-pollinated seed from the parent P. vulgaris 'Under the Sea'. I chose to offer a cultivar so I could clearly say it is a non-native. Plus, it's stunning en masse and has all the good qualities of the species. 

Habitat: woodland edge, waste places, roadsides

More: The young leaves and stems of P. vulgaris are edible raw and the whole plant can be boiled and eaten as a spring green. Tea can be brewed from the leaves. It is a traditional Chinese medicine. It is also used medicinally in numerous other cultures. Excellent ground cover and can be part of a mixed lawn with Wild Strawberry and Violet. If your lawn happens to be "unimproved" it is probably already growing there. Also good for a larger rock garden, but it is a strong grower, so perhaps best as a segue from a more formal to a wilder area. 

Source: Honey Petal Plants

Image credits: Honey Petal Plants, illustration from Wikimedia Commons