Wild Florida Photo
Nature Photography by Paul Rebmann
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Prunella vulgaris
COMMON SELFHEAL
CARPENTERWEED
HEAL ALL
Not native to Florida
This is an occasional plant of disturbed sites in some northern Florida counties. Introduced from Europe, this common weed now ranges throughout the United States and Canada except for the Northwest and Nunavut Territories. It does not occur in Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands.
An erect or creeping perennial herb, it sometimes forms large colonies. The leaves are opposite, elliptic or lanceolate from 2.5-7.6cm (1-3 in.) long, entire or finely toothed, and the lower leaves with long petioles. The flowers are small, violet, 2-lipped in a cylindric terminal spike. The upper lip is hooded and arches over the four stamens, the lower lip is 3-lobed with the middle lobe lighter and fringed. The spike is 2.5-5cm (1-2 in.) tall and 2cm (3/4 in.) across. The individual flowers are 1-1.5cm (0.4-0.6 in.) long and appear from May through September. The calyx is distinctly 2-lipped.