selfheal

[ self-heel ]

noun

1. a plant, Prunella vulgaris, of the mint family, having pinnate leaves and tubular violet-blue flowers, formerly believed to have healing properties.
2. any of various other plants believed to have similar properties.

selfheal

/ ˈsɛlfˌhiːl /

noun

1. a low-growing European herbaceous plant, Prunella vulgaris, with tightly clustered violet-blue flowers and reputedly having healing powers: family Lamiaceae (labiates)
2. any of several other plants thought to have healing powers

Word History and Origins

Origin of selfheal¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, selfheal is from the Middle English word selfhele. See self, heal

Example Sentences

I found myself leaning into a strong breeze pushing across the moor, shaking the hairgrass and ruffling the yarrow and selfheal growing prettily against a long drystone wall that bordered the trail and offered me some shelter.

From The Guardian

Try cutting every three or four weeks and let dandelions, daisies and violets bloom in spring, followed by buttercups, clovers and selfheal in summer.

From The Guardian

Nature had the most extraordinary ability to selfheal – but it only works if humans are prepared to meet it halfway. 

From Newsweek

In the grass the short selfheal shows; and, leaning over the gate, on the edge of the wheat you may see the curious prickly seed-vessels of the corn buttercup—the 'hedgehog'—whose spines, however, will not scratch the softest skin.

From Project Gutenberg

Several Herbal Simples go by the name of Selfheal among our wild hedge plants, more especially the Sanicle, the common Prunella, and the Bugle.

From Project Gutenberg