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Whether you want to create a beautiful wildflower meadow or want to expand your herb garden, you should try to cultivate self-healing. This beautiful mint relative is more than a pretty plant.
Self-healing has been used for decades as medicine due to its powerful antioxidant properties. There has even been research that has found that self-healing plants could be used to treat certain herpes conditions.
If you are here because you want to grow this plant at home, you have come to the right place. Here is an overview of everything you need to maintain these magical plants on your property.
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What are self-healing plants?
The botanical name given to the self-healing plant is Sloe vulgaris. This flowering plant grows wild in Europe, Asia and parts of America. You can grow this plant in USDA hardiness zones 6-9.
It is also called healing flowers, blue curls, brownwort, earth heart and thimble.
The traditional method of using these flowers is drying for tea and is considered traditional medicine in China. The healing properties of this plant have been used for over 2,000 years.
Studies show it can help with thyroid dysfunction, high blood pressure, and other health conditions. Another study in the journal Molecule showed that it has powerful antioxidant properties.
In recent years, the demand for Spica Prunellae, which are the spikes of the plant, has increased. You often see the tips turned into tea.
When identifying this plant, you can increasingly spot it by its bright colors. The self-healing flowers are purple or blue with occasional pink petals. You can expect to see this plant bloom from June to September.
Some gardeners confuse the plant Pyramidal ajuga with self-healing because it has similar blue petals, but it is not the same flower. Another common misconception is that Hederaceous glechoma is also self-healing as it belongs to the same Lamiaceae family.
However, Hederaceous glechoma the plants have a darker, warmer color and the leaves are reddish when mature. You can identify self-healing plants by the following characteristics:
- Flowering spikes that stand upright
- Purple or blue tubular flowers
- Flowering in June-September
Some other subspecies of this plant are common self-healing (P. vulgaris spp. vulgar) and initiates self-healing (P. vulgaris spp. lanceolate). All subspecies need the same growing conditions to thrive and be healthy.
Growing conditions for self-healing plants
Self-healing plants need full sun or partial shade.
Grow this flower near other low plants to avoid reducing air circulation and shading your self-healing. Also, taller plants draw attention away from these small perennials.
Of course, soil quality is another essential factor when growing plants at home. Self-healing needs well-drained soil. This is why this plant naturally thrives in meadows and lawns where there is usually the best drainage.
This plant thrives in nutrient-rich loamy soil, but it can survive in less than ideal conditions.
Most of us don’t have perfect soil, so create your own by adding plenty of well-rotted compost to your garden. This improves drainage, breaks up clay, adds texture to sand and adds nutrients.
In addition to well-drained soil, self-healing plants do best in cool, mild temperatures at all times during the growing process. If you have a heat snap, be sure to stay on top of the watering to help support the plants.
Planting cures everything
Once you’ve created the right soil and chosen the perfect location, you can move on to the planting process.
You can easily find self-healing seeds at your local garden center or online. Sow healing seeds on the surface of the soil and gently press them down. Seeds should be spaced at least 6 to 8 inches apart.
This plant can be Split in spring.
Self Heal can also grow indoors if you prefer to keep this plant inside your home. You will need a container large enough to hold the seeds and a little extra room for them to grow. Use a minimum one gallon container.
If you want to start your seeds indoors and transplant them outdoors later, you should prepare them as early as 10 weeks before planting them outdoors.
Self-repairing mature plants will reach 1-2 feet tall and will spread through the runners indefinitely.
Caring for self-healing plants
Remember that self-healing is known for self-seeding, which means you might have more wildflowers strewn around your property than expected. Heal-all is related to mint and works the same in the garden.
Self-healing plants are basically wildflowers, so they know how to take care of themselves and are easy to care for. For new plant owners, this is a great plant to try and experiment with if you want to get started in the world of herbal gardening.
The only thing you need to watch out for is deadhead and harvest.
Deadheading is a great way to ensure the plant grows back healthy the following year and to keep your garden tidy. Depending on your preferences, you can create a monthly routine of cutting your flowers or simply cutting the plants at the end of summer.
Or, you can approach it more flexibly and only when needed. The choice is yours, but be sure to cut off any dead stems if they become apparent on your plant.
Fortunately, this plant is hardy and does not suffer from many pests and diseases, so you are unlikely to have any health problems when growing this plant.
Harvesting and using self-healing at home
One of the best ways to keep self-healing plants at home is to dry them in a cool area of your home.
To do this, when the flower is fully ripe, collect the flowers, stems and leaves and bring them inside.
Then, clean them gently with water and let them air dry for several weeks. Once the whole plant is dry, you can store it in a bag or jar. You should store them in an airtight container in a place where there is not much light.
Self-healing can last up to nine months with proper care if stored in a cool, dry place.
Here’s how to use your self-healing:
self-healing tea
As already mentioned, self-healing is a popular alternative medicine for people looking to boost their immune system and protect against seasonal flu.
The easiest way to make tea with your dried self-heal is to place 2-3 teaspoons of the leaves in a cup and pour hot water. Leave the teapot or cup for at least 45 minutes to let the herb release toxins and steep for the full duration.
When the tea is ready, you can sprinkle cinnamon or honey to add a sweet taste and enjoy your hot drink.
This is a great tea to make at home when winter is approaching and you’re worried about catching a cold. Plus, you enjoy harvesting leaves from your plants and creating the tea from scratch.
If you have several self-healing plants growing at home, you can collect lots of leaves and flowers and make a batch of tea for friends.
You can also use the plant to make an ointment.
Self-Healing Balm Recipe
A self-healing plant is perfect for making a homemade ointment that will soothe any bruises and cuts you may encounter in the garden. Most of us know that caring for many plants and shrubs often results in a few battle scars after being outdoors.
Having a small stock of medical supplies is important on the farm.
All you need to make a self-healing salve is a harvest of your plant and 3/4 cup of oil. It doesn’t matter what type of oil you have; any option will do when making your ointment.
Add 1/3 cup self-healing herb with 3/4 oil and simmer. You should also add a few inches of water and leave it for a few hours to do its magic. Mix 1/2 cup of infused oil and 1 teaspoon of beeswax pellets and melt them together.
After that, pour the mixture into several jars and let them cool.
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