Plant to Spot
Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris)

Selfheal or Duán ceannchosach, in Irish, can be found in a variety of habitats from damp grasslands, roadsides, woodlands, heaths and gardens. The book Ireland's Wild Plants: Myths, Legends and Folklore, written by Niall MacCoitír mentions that selfheal was widely used in Irish traditional medicine to treat a variety of conditions from heart complaints, wounds, parasites and for children that were thought to be affected by faeries.

It is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae) and can be found flowering from June to August. Although the purple flowers have no obvious scent, their nectar attracts bees, butterflies and other insects. The plant has paired, oval leaves with the flowers appearing in dense, oblong clusters on the top of the stem.