01.
Heal all: A Bit of Botany
a little botanical information on heal all

description
Prunella vulgaris is a perennial plant of the Lamiaceae family and grows 5 to 30 cm high (2-12 inches), with creeping, self-rooting, tough, square, reddish stems branching at leaf axis. The leaves are lance shaped, serrated, and reddish at tip, about 2.5 cm (1 inch) long and 1.5 cm (half an inch) broad, and growing in opposite pairs down the square stem. Each leave has 3-7 veins that shoot off of the middle vein to the margin. The stalks of the leaves are generally short, but can be up to 5 cm (2 inches) long. The flowers grow from a club-like, somewhat square, whirled cluster; immediately below this club is a pair of stalk less 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, but mostly in summer (from June to August in the USA).

common names & nomenclature
The botanical names comes from the French prunelle, meaning "plum-colored" — in reference to the flower color, and from Latin vulgaris "of or pertaining to the common people, common".

Also known as:
common self-heal, self heal, all-heal, heal all, heart of the earth, prunella, brunella, self heal, all heal, woundwort, wound root, slough heal, blue curls, dragonhead, hercules' woundwort, hook-heal, heart of the earth, carpenter's herb, dragonhead, xia ku cao


02.
Heal all: Where in the World
habitat and range for heal all

Heal all is a perennial herb found throughout Europe, Asia and North America, as well as most temperate climates.

03.
Heal all: Cultivation & Harvesting
considerations for growing and harvesting heal all

climate
Heal all is often found growing in moist areas, waste ground, grassland, woodland edges in full sun or light shade.

soil
Grows usually in basic and neutral damp soils.

growing
Sow seed in mid spring in a cold frame. When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant them out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient seed then it can be sown outdoors directly into the garden in mid to late spring. You can propagate by division in spring or autumn.

harvesting
Heal all can be used fresh or dried, for drying it is best harvested in mid-summer. Dry the leaves, stems and flowers and cut into smaller pieces.

preserving
Store dried & cut plant parts in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

04.
Heal all: The Rest of the Story
heal all history, folklore, literature & more

heal all really does heal all
When it comes to keeping your body healthy overall, heal all is an herb that can make a huge difference in your life. It’s called “heal all” because it truly does improve the health of every aspect of your body. It can be used to treat a huge variety of infections and illnesses.

One of the reasons heal all is so effective is that it works with your body’s own immune system to improve it. When your body can fight infection better on its own, you’ll have fewer problems with germs taking hold and living in it.

Heal all has been used to treat a large variety of conditions including sores, ulcers, headaches, high blood pressure, dizziness, mumps, sore throats, and bug bites. It’s a cure-all herb that can be used for almost any purpose you can imagine.

Heal all has been shown in laboratory tests to be an antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, astringent, and antioxidant. That means it can attack a broad spectrum of problems in the body. Nothing is better than your body’s natural system for fighting infection. So when you take an herb that enhances what nature gave you, you’ll have even more power to stay well in spite of living in a world filled with germs.

It can be used to treat sore throats, skin irritations, hemorrhoids, and menstrual problems. Because it works so well with the immune system, some herbalists actually use it with people who are HIV-positive to boost their immune system.

Heal all can be used in many forms. A tea can be made that is useful for gargling to treat sore throats and mouth pain. It can also be drunk to improve your actual immune system from the inside out. The tea is somewhat bitter and can be improved by adding honey to taste.

Having some heal all in your medicine chest will guarantee that you’ve got the right solution when you’re exposed to illness. During cold and flu season you may want to have a cup of heal all tea every day to help you fight infections before they can get to your body.

Of course heal all can’t cure everything, but it works so hard to fight so many infections it comes pretty close. If you’re looking for one product to keep in your cabinet, heal all is the perfect choice. It covers a broad spectrum of problems safely and effectively.