Lawn Guardian

How to Get Rid of Heal-All (Self-Heal)

Prunella vulgaris

broadleaf weedUSDA zones 3–9Active: spring, summer

Low-growing perennial in the mint family. Spreads by stolons and seeds to form dense patches, especially in moist, shaded areas.

How to identify it

Square stems; opposite oval leaves; dense club-shaped spike of violet-blue hooded flowers; creeping stolons.

Treatment options

Cultural (prevention): Improve turf density

Heal-all colonizes thin, moist turf. Overseed and fertilize to compete.

When: Fall lawn renovation

Organic: Hand pulling

Pull clumps including stolons. Bag to prevent re-rooting.

When: Pull in spring when soil is moist

Chemical: Triclopyr herbicide

Effective systemic control for heal-all. More reliable than 2,4-D on mint family weeds.

When: Apply in fall when plant is storing energy in roots

Active ingredient: Triclopyr — e.g. T-Zone, Turflon Ester

Grass safety: always match herbicides to your grass species — products safe on Kentucky bluegrass can kill St. Augustine or centipede. Lawn Guardian checks this automatically against your lawn profile.

Stop heal-all (self-heal) at the right moment, automatically

Lawn Guardian turns this guidance into a schedule timed to your USDA zone and this week's actual weather — and adapts every time you log what you've done.

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Related weeds

Sources: Purdue University Turfgrass Science: Use Growing Degree Days to Better Time Your Applications · University of Missouri Extension: Cool-Season Grasses: Lawn Maintenance Calendar · University of Minnesota Extension: Pre-emergent Herbicides for Crabgrass Control in Lawns