Low-growing native perennial with spreading foliage and short spikes of purple flowers. Western self-heal can grow among grasses and other low plants, tolerates occasional mowing, and provides a flowering component for living lawns and permanent groundcovers. It performs well in sun to part shade with moderate moisture and becomes more drought tolerant once established.
When to sow: Fall is ideal. Seed can also be sown in late winter or early spring.
Management: This is a permanent living groundcover and does not need to be terminated. Mow or shear after flowering if a shorter appearance is desired, or leave some flowers and seed heads for a more naturalized planting.
From Northwest Meadowscapes' website:
Edible greens, traditional medicine, and wildlife value! Self-heal, or heal-all is a classic Northwestern meadow plant -- a cheerful blue-flowering species of damp ditches and pastures, hedgerow understories, rainy coastal bluffs, and forest clearings.
This perennial member of the mint family is very attractive to bumble bees and has a storied history in medieval Europe (where it also occurs), and among Native Americans as a medicinal herb. We like it in salads, or cooked with dandelion and nettle in a wild green "meadow spanakopita." Spreading growth habit, with stems that will form new roots where they touch the ground. Treat this plant nicely and it will stick around!
Prunella vulgaris, Self Heal seed
How to Use Your Cover Crop & Native Seed Packets
Each seed packet is measured to cover 25 sq ft or 100 sq ft, depending on the size you chose.
Sowing Instructions
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When to sow: Fall is ideal in Portland. The soil is still warm for germination, and fall rains keep seedlings watered. Some seeds (like meadowfoam or clovers) can also be spring-sown.
How to sow:
- Rake the soil lightly to create good seed-to-soil contact.
- Scatter the contents of the packet evenly over the area (don’t worry about perfect spacing).
- Gently press or rake seeds in so they make contact with the soil. Do not bury deeply — most native and cover crop seeds need light to germinate.
- Water: Fall rains usually do the job, but water lightly if the weather turns dry.
What to Expect
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Traditional Cover Crops (rye, peas, fava, daikon, crimson clover, buckwheat, mustard): Grow quickly, protect soil, and build fertility. In spring, chop them down or mow before they set seed. Some (like rye) can also be crimped into a mulch.
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Living Mulches (red fescue, dwarf yarrow, creeping thyme, low clovers): These stay low and provide long-term weed suppression and ground cover. Shear lightly as needed, but they don’t require replanting every year.
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Pollinator Wildflowers (Clarkia, poppy, gilia, flax, meadowfoam, coneflower, blanketflower): Not classic cover crops, but they add beauty and attract bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects. Many reseed naturally.
Spring & Summer Management
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Chop-and-drop: Cut plants at the base and leave them as mulch (peas, fava, clovers).
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Mow: Use on ryegrass or cereals to turn them into quick mulch.
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Crimp: Flatten tall rye or grains at flowering to create a long-lasting weed barrier.
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Shear perennials: Yarrow, thyme, and sedges can be trimmed back after bloom.
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Self-seeders: Flowers like poppy, clarkia, and meadowfoam will often reseed themselves. Leave some seed heads if you want them back next year.
Quick Tips
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Cover crops = soil builders.
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Living mulches = weed suppressors.
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Wildflowers = pollinator magnets.
Tulle or row cover can protect young seedlings from birds and slugs until established.
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