Meet Self-Heal
Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris): A Small Flower With Big Ecological Impact
Self-heal—also called heal-all (Prunella vulgaris)—is a humble native perennial with stacked violet bracts that punch far above their weight in residential landscapes. This low, spreading groundcover delivers extended bloom for pollinators, knits soil between stones and paths, and creates a calm, textural base layer at the front of beds.
Why I use it in designs
• Pollinator magnet. Bumble bees and other natives are built for its tubular flowers.
• Tough groundcover. Forms a gentle, weed-suppressing mat that softens hard edges.
• Long season of interest. Violet blooms give way to sculptural seedheads that hold form.
• Low profile, high versatility. Keeps sightlines open around entries, paths, and patios.
Where it shines
• Entry gardens needing color and cohesion without visual clutter
• Meadow edges as a transition from lawn to taller forbs/grasses
• Under open-canopy trees with dappled light
• Between pavers or along stone walls (like in the photo) to green up hardscape
Aesthetic design pairings
• Woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata) for a soft spring duet
• Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica) for a fine-textured carpet
• Golden ragwort (Packera aurea) for early color and quick coverage
• Heuchera, Tiarella, and ferns to layer shade plantings
Ecological benefits
• Nectar + pollen for native bees, small butterflies, and beneficial insects
• Living mulch that cools and protects soil life
• Microhabitat for ground-dwelling pollinators and invertebrates
• Generally deer-resistant, with the usual caveat that no plant is truly deer-proof
A fit for lawn alternatives
If you’re moving toward “less lawn, more life,” self-heal is an easy on-ramp. It greens up gaps between stones and creates a unified base layer so feature plants can shine.
Ready to add this quiet powerhouse to your garden?
I design and install layered, native-forward plantings across the greater Philadelphia region. If you’d like a resilient groundcover plan—or a full planting design that weaves self-heal into a four-season palette—get in touch.
We recently installed Selfheal as part of our ongoing desing project in Blue Bell, PA.