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Heal-All
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| A plant of the mint family is called heal-all or self-heal, known
to science as Prunella vulgaris. Heal-all grows around the northern
hemisphere. Its native American version differs slightly from the
European. Seattle's population of the native has been nearly or wholly replaced
by the European strain. It is easy to see the European blooming in
rough lawns during late June and July. Dark bluish-purple or violet flowers
in tight clusters are followed by chaffy purple-brown seed clusters. |
To compare the two kinds, I imported a native heal-all from
Lopez Island, and planted it in my garden next to a European. Then I
listened to their conversation, which went as follows.
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| EUROPEAN: "Hi,
newcomer. Welcome." |
| EUROPEAN: "Seattle. Where you from? How'd you get here?" |
| NATIVE: "I'm from Lopez Island, one of the San Juans. Earlier today
I was minding my own business as usual, then all of a sudden a
human loomed over me, his eyes flashing. He kneeled and dug me, wrapped
my roots in moist moss, slipped me into a plastic bag, carried me in his
hands for a few minutes, then we bicycled some miles, rode a ferry, next
a hydrofoil, and here I am, planted in new soil, 7 hours later!" |
| EUROPEAN: "Wow. What a trip. You were abducted, big time.
Well, that's the breaks. Good luck. My progenitors arrived here
generations ago; we are quite at home now. Life is good. I must say you look a bit
pale and skinny. We'll fatten you up." |
| NATIVE: "Although I am exhausted at the moment,
all of my brothers and sisters look lighter green with slenderer leaves than you
Europeans. Moreover, our flowers are larger and tend to be more rosy, less
blue. Many would say they're prettier." |
| EUROPEAN: "Yeah? We'll see how long your beauty lasts --and
how much good it will do you in the big city. You may not have what it
takes here. We handle in stride compacted soil, being trampled underfoot
and mowed, dog piss and whatnot. And we smile throughout it all. Sorry,
pal, your beauty is no match for our toughness in the survival of the
fittest. And by the way, we've also got both European slugs and snails
here --so look out!" |
| NATIVE: "It may be our medicinal properties, plus our beauty
will endear us to people, and they'll protect us." |
| EUROPEAN: "Don't count on it. Guess what? Most folks couldn't
care less. And we Europeans too, have been used in medicine, since we
have astringent, diuretic, styptic, tonic and vulnerary properties. We can
help a sore throat as well as you natives." |
| NATIVE: "Well, okay. We're all in this together, and really have
no choice in the matter. Your clan can thrive in towns and cities, and
we natives will stick to the open woods, the unspoiled wild places.
Humans will do as they please." |
EUROPEAN: "Right. I figure we all grow where we can. Nature
has plenty of room for us all."
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(originally published in The Seattle Weekly, July 1997)
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