There are many benefits to growing comfrey. Learn how to grow this perennial herb and why it’s making its way into permaculture gardens everywhere.
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In this article:
- What are the benefits of growing comfrey?
- Which type of comfrey should you grow?
- How to plant comfrey
- Using comfrey for mulch and green manure
- 4 FAQs about growing comfrey in the permaculture garden
Many years ago, a friend gave me a comfrey plant. She swooned about the many benefits of growing comfrey. Without a doubt, I was excited, but a little skeptical about this so-called super plant. Could this one plant really have such a big impact?
After one season, that one plant appeared to enhance the overall vitality of my garden, so I rushed out to buy more plants!
This perennial herb grows in USDA growing zones 3-9. Although comfrey is tolerant of a variety of growing conditions, I’ve found it grows best in full to partial sun and in rich, loosened soil. The more compacted the soil is, the more shade it prefers.
Permaculture gardeners seek out plants that are multifunctional and help gardens to work like mini-ecosystems, which saves time. And you guessed it—comfrey is one of these plants!
Ecological Benefits of Growing Comfrey
- Attracts pollinators with blue, pink, purple, or white bell-shaped flowers.
- Provides habitat for beneficial insects under huge leaves, which helps to keep the garden pest-free.
- Fast-growing leaves generate an impressive amount of biomass for green mulch.
More about comfrey:
- Does comfrey really improve soil?.
- Check out 7 uses for comfrey in the permaculture garden.
- Grow comfrey’s cousin, borage, in the vegetable garden.
Growing Comfrey for Different Uses
There are two types of comfrey that gardeners most commonly grow:
- True/Common comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
- Russian comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum) also called the Bocking 14 cultivar.
Let’s take a minute to talk about the properties and uses for each.
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1: Grow True Comfrey for Medicine
This is the original ancient herb, nicknamed ‘knitbone’, that is grown for medicinal purposes.
The active medicinal substance in this herb, allantoin, is a cell proliferant, and has traditionally been used to heal broken bones, external injuries, and a host of other ailments. Recently, I noticed that allantoin is the primary healing ingredient in my store-bought lotion and shave cream.
I use a comfrey poultice on bruises, and it helped me heal a scar on my face.
Comfrey is usually recommended for topical use. Learn how to make comfrey salve to take advantage of its healing properties. The leaves and roots are used fresh or dried.
I’m sure you aren’t surprised to learn that comfrey is one of my favorite herbs to grow in the medicine garden!
Want all the benefits of a comfrey salve but don’t have time to make it yourself? Catskills Comfrey is my favorite source for high-quality, farm-grown and handmade herbal salve.
The plant’s most potent concentration of healing properties occur just before flowering. As a result, this is the best time to cut it back for medicinal use.
Since this variety proliferates wildly from seed, cutting the plant before it flowers keeps it in check.
Because true comfrey is a prolific grower, you can cut the foliage back four to five times per year for mulch or green manure without harming the plant. However, true comfrey is most commonly grown for medicinal purposes.
Buy true comfrey as seed, live root, or plant. I like starting true comfrey from seed.
2: Grow Russian Comfrey (‘Bocking 14’ or ‘Bocking 4’) for Biomass (Mulch, Green Manure)
These cultivars are named after Bocking, England where they were developed, and are hybrids of true comfrey and another variety called prickly comfrey. While true comfrey can spread easily, Russian comfrey has sterile seed, so it won’t take over the garden.
That benefit, plus the fact that it is a vigorous grower, is why many permaculture gardeners grow it as biomass for mulch or green manure.
This is what really makes this plant a star in the permaculture garden: its ability to generate biomass that enriches soil and accelerates soil-building.
Vegetarian gardeners looking for non-animal fertilizers will find this herb to be a valuable source of green manure.
Although the Bocking varieties do not proliferate by seed, the plant grows in width and eventually needs to be divided. And that’s how you can produce more of these plants for mulch over time!
Buy this cultivar either as live root cuttings or as a plant. Because the seeds are sterile, you can’t grow it from seed. I like to plant Russian comfrey root cuttings.
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Planting Comfrey
Comfrey will be there a long time, so choose your site well for planting.
When planting root cuttings or mature plants, soak them in water beforehand for about an hour. In fact, I recommend this for all of your perennials because it helps them transition to their new home more easily.
Whether planting root cuttings, mature plants, or seeds, plant them about three feet apart.
Planting Root Cuttings
I like to plant root cuttings of Russian comfrey, which are more economical than purchasing mature plants. Additionally, digging a small hole for planting root cuttings is easier than the larger hole needed for mature plants.
Dig a small hole 2 inches deep in clay soil or 4 inches deep in sandy soil. Lay the root cutting down laterally and cover with soil. Top with a high-nitrogen mulch, such as manure or clippings of grass or clover, and water well.
Planting Mature Plants
Use a digging fork to loosen the soil where you intend to grow your comfrey plants and dig a hole at least 1 foot deep. Loosen soil at least 6 inches below the plant. The bigger the plant is, the deeper you should dig and loosen.
Mix in manure or rich compost at the time of planting. Water well and top with mulch.
Note: Things like grass clippings, manure, and compost can be contaminated with herbicides, even if you don’t spray. Learn more about the possibility of herbicides in compost, herbicides in manure, and herbicides in store-bought soil (even if it’s organic-approved).
Sowing Seeds
Sowing comfrey seeds is only possible for growing true comfrey, so only go this route if you have a lot of space and don’t mind the plants spreading over time.
Sow seeds in the spring when the ground is workable to a 1/2-inch depth and three feet apart. As perennials, it will take some time before you see them pop up.
Growing Comfrey for Mulch and Green Manure
This is an excellent herb to grow as chop-and-drop mulch for perennial edibles. See how I use it under fruit trees in my article How to Build a Fruit Tree Guild.
Chop the leaves into pieces and use them around the garden to help retain moisture and protect beneficial soil organisms. Chopping the large leaves into pieces allows them to break down faster and prevents the green manure from forming a mat on the soil surface.
Read more about this practice in my article Mulching in the Permaculture Garden.
In the picture below, I’m preparing to spread buckets of true comfrey mulch around the garden.
However, I separate the flowers from the green plant matter so as not to spread seeds around the garden. I have to be diligent about chopping down true comfrey plants before the flowers drop their seeds, but otherwise, growing (true) comfrey is easy to work with.
After five years, I’ve never had more than a couple of volunteer plants develop around the garden. If you notice the volunteers while young, they’re easy to dig up and transplant, or throw in the compost—it’s an excellent bioactivator.
While both varieties can be used for both medicinal as well as mulching purposes, it’s important to remember which variety you’re growing, so you can manage the plants appropriately.
4 FAQs About Growing Comfrey in the Permaculture Garden
#1: What are the ecological benefits of comfrey?
Comfrey flowers attract pollinators while its leaves provide habitat for beneficial insects. It also generates biomass that can be used as mulch.
#2: Which type of comfrey should I grow?
There are two types of comfrey that gardeners most commonly grow: True/Common comfrey (Symphytum officinale), which is used for medicine, and Russian comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum) also called the Bocking 14 cultivar, which is used for biomass for mulch or green manure.
#3: What are some tips for planting comfrey?
Whether planting root cuttings, mature plants, or seeds, plant them about three feet apart.
I like to plant root cuttings of Russian comfrey, which are more economical than purchasing mature plants. Dig a small hole 2 inches deep in clay soil or 4 inches deep in sandy soil. Lay the root cutting down laterally and cover with soil. Top with a high-nitrogen mulch, such as manure or clippings of grass or clover, and water well.
If you’re planting mature comfrey plants, use a digging fork to loosen the soil and dig a hole at least 1 foot deep. The bigger the plant is, the deeper you should dig and loosen. Mix in manure or rich compost at the time of planting. Water well and top with mulch.
Sow true comfrey seeds in the spring when the ground is workable to a 1/2-inch depth and three feet apart. As perennials, it will take some time before you see them pop up.
#4: How can I use comfrey for mulch and green manure?
Chop the leaves into pieces and use them around the garden to help retain moisture and protect beneficial soil organisms. Chopping the large leaves into pieces allows them to break down faster and prevents the green manure from forming a mat on the soil surface.
Do you grow comfrey in your garden? Which type do you grow?
READ NEXT:
- 7 Ways to Fertilize the Garden with Comfrey
- Does Comfrey Really Improve Soil?
- How to Source Herbicide-Free Soil (even organic-approved soil can be contaminated)
Katrina Diller says
why do u have to chop the flowers what happens if u dont and let the seed come i eat the flowers and they r pretty??
katrina
Amy says
If you buy true comfrey and have plants that proliferate from seed quite readily, you could eat the flowers. I’ve heard that they are safely edible, though I’ve never eaten them myself.
I chop the flowers and put them in the garbage because my property is so small that a comfrey takeover would inhibit growing anything else. If you have a lot of space to let comfrey readily seed, then go for it. It will slowly take over.
Any new plants will quickly develop deep roots. When weeding, if any part of the root is left in the ground, the plant will re-grow.
marybeth says
can u send seed for a SASE?
Amy says
I think in general you can send seed domestically, although I’m not sure, but it may be a problem with international mail. The package should protect the seeds from heat, light, moisture, and from being crushed.
If you’re asking if I can personally send seeds, unfortunately I can’t do that. I moved and don’t have comfrey seeds. 🙂
Liz D. says
Amy, I have the Russian Comfrey seeds, was able to start it after a sstratification process for 2 wks in the fridge. I only got ONE to come up but its doing well. So the seeds arent exactly sterile, but they are diffitcult to start.
Amy says
Interesting. Thanks for sharing!
Neil Fenwick says
Our 13 year old dog was seriously ill some weeks ago and the Vets diagnosed a poisoned liver. After three days of very expensive intensive care and treatment he seemed to recover gradually, but two days ago he died quite un expectantly ! The Vets were unable to suggest the cause of the illness but we are convinced it was the Cumfrey we discovered in a shady part of our garden – chewed down to the stalks !!!
Amy says
Neil,
I am sorry to hear about your loss. Losing a family pet is a truly devastating experience.
As with any medicine, too much of a good thing can be toxic. Unfortunately this applies to the medicinal plant we call comfrey. Thank you for sharing your story so that others can plan accordingly in their yards.
I imagine some fencing may be required to keep dogs away from toxic plants? I look forward to hearing others’ ideas.
Peace be with you and your family.
Noela says
Sorry for the loss of your dog. Just wanted to point out that it is more likely that your dog ate the Comfrey to the ground as he knew he was ill and was desperately trying to self medicate. Comfrey settles their digestive system if they are feeling queasy. If your dog had an affected liver he would probably have been feeling nauses and therefore trying to find relief by eating the Comfrey. My dogs (7 of them) have been eating Comfrey in the garden for their lifetime and none have had any liver problems. The oldest two are also 13 years old now. One also needs to understand that when dogs reach an advanced age, as with humans, organs like the liver and kidneys can start to fail. Comfrey is a very good herb for dogs and if they are allowed to self medicate they will not take too much, which can happen if owners add it to the diet.
Heidi @ Pint Size Farm says
It is a very pretty plant too. I am always worried about planting anything that can be toxic – maybe a separate area would be okay 🙂
Amy says
You could plant comfrey away from the rest of the garden, perhaps with other medicinal plants, since most medicinal plants will be toxic in high doses. But there are also plenty of regular garden plants with toxic parts, such as tomato, potato, and rhubarb leaves. No where is safe 🙂
mark stevenson says
I bought comfrey seeds thinking I had purchased comfrey with purple blooms but they turned out to be pink. What I really wanted was comfrey officialis which I thought had purple flowers. Since it grew from seed does that mean I purchased the right plant after all? I have just now seen comfrey bloom pictures in so many colors! Even though I have gardened for 40+ years this is the first time I tried to grow comfrey. Thanks for your patience in answering my post. ha!
Amy says
Hi Mark,
You probably have comfrey officinalis (common comfrey), since you grew it from seed. There is also a variety called prickly comfrey, but it isn’t widely available in the U.S. that I know of. I’m not sure if it propagates by seed or root cutting.
Russian comfrey, which is a hybrid of the above two varieties, is available in the U.S., but has flowers with sterile seed, so it can only be propagated by root cuttings.
I have also wondered about the color of the flower. I’ve seen purple, pink, and white flowers, and I’m not sure if the color is consistent with certain varieties over others. I only know that my plants all produce purple ones 🙂 The pink ones are also very pretty.
I hope you’ll check back with us if you find out anything more 🙂
Gavin says
I have heard that Russian Comfrey and Common Comfrey can readily cross-polinate, thereby producing pink flowered variants. I can’t confirm this though.
Amy says
Interesting. Thanks for the tip!
TED says
Could it be ph like hydrangeas?
IdlewildAlaska says
I wonder if it will grow in Alaska. Thanks for sharing at the Homestead Blog Hop!
Amy says
It will grow in zones 3-9, so you’re probably right on the edge? With some protection, I believe it would have no problem.
Kathi Hill says
We are in eastern Washington state, and have the comfrey planted next to the house on the east side. Despite some winters with very low temperatures (such as yours) it thrives there. It may be that the warmth from the house is just enough. It does have some protection from the dominant (west wind) as it is planted on the backside of the house. The plant is huge, and has come back every year for 22 years. It is certainly worth a try!
Lee Morgan says
Once you get it established you should be fine. Be aware that your number of successive cuts per season, will be reduced due to the cooler weather. You may only get one or two harvests per season. Also make sure you do your last cut early enough for it to produce some growth, before it becomes dormant again over winter.
Evelyn Mosley says
I love comfrey and have given starts of my comfrey to many friends as very few people sell it in our area. I love Horizon Herbs, too! They are a great place to purchase herbs of all kinds and much more.
Kathy D. says
I grow comfrey from a start my sister gave to me. She received her start from our grandfather. He’s been gone for many years so it’s great to have something from his garden in ours. I use the leaves soaked in boiling water to pour onto my compost heap. I also add the leaves as is…I’ve read they kick start the decomposition process. Thanks for the good article.
Amy says
Thanks for sharing your story about your comfrey plants. Having a plant passed down to you would certainly make it more special!
Lizabeth says
i want to buy a lot of common comfrey roots. But everything that I can find in bulk online is the bocker varieties. Do you know a source where I can get the common for a reasonable price?
Amy says
I like Horizon Herbs.
BJ says
Thanks for the useful information regarding Comfrey. You have a wonderful website. I was hoping you would explain , “how to grow comfrey “, as your title suggests. I live in Georgia, USDA zone 8a. I ordered a True Comfrey plant and have had mine for two years and have never seen it grow much. The first year something ate through all the leaves. It is was a small plant about the size of an average adult hand. It has now doubled in size and now I have two small plants. The original one is in a sunny spot. The other I transplanted to a spot that recieves part sun w/ afteroon shade. Eventhough it was still small, I divided it because i badly need comfrey in another location. I have also tried to make multiple plants from the orginal plant without having to buy more. The root cuttings I made from the original plant never took, they all died. Although everyone says, ” Comfrey grows very fast, is easy to grow and can take over an area”, I must be doing something wrong! Maybe it’s too hot and humid here. Who knows! Please tell me how to grow comfrey plants. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Amy says
In general, comfrey is prolific. But in my experience it needs a few years to become well-established. After that it’s gangbusters, LOL. I would wait until you have a lush, full, healthy-looking mother plant before trying to divide it. In fact, if it is true comfrey, it will drop seeds after flowering and create seedlings that can be transplanted without digging up the original plant.
I have found that comfrey prefers a part-shade environment with rich, moist soil. Before planting it, improve the soil with compost. This should help it get off to a good start. If it’s already in a full-sun spot, just water it regularly until it takes off (about a year or two). After that, it shouldn’t need any maintenance.
BJ says
Everything you mentioned seems to explain my problems. I guess it never flowered the first year because I disturbed it too soon. Plus I planted it directly in sunlight. My guess I wasn’t watering it enough either. That also explains why the one later put in part-shade looks better than the parent plant. I don’t have forever to wait so I’m just going to order 25 root cuttings. Living in an urban setting, I want to be quickly inundated with comfrey to help me build good soil. Thank you so much for responding quickly! You have been very helpful!
Amy says
I hope it helps! I like the visual of the urban yard inundated with comfrey 🙂
mary says
A friend recently told me that she feeds comfrey to her horses. Based on the story about the sick dog, can this be accurate? What are others’ experiences? Thanks
Amy says
Yes, this could be accurate. Comfrey has been shown to be incredibly healing when taken internally in small doses, although the FDA does not recommend it. Like most medicines, however, as shown by the dog in comments above, too much can be harmful. Your friend may have a good sense of what a safe dose is for her horses. I wouldn’t feel qualified to make a recommendation on dosage for internal use.
Lee Morgan says
I grow comfrey for the sick horses we have here. It is fed to racing horses. It is also fed to giraffes at the zoo. It is so high in calcium.
Morgan says
Hi,
Has anyone made this into a tea? Though I would think you should only take in small dosages. Let me know, thanks!!
Amy says
The FDA recommends against taking comfrey internally, and I have never used it that way. However, it has traditionally been used for that purpose. The comments on this page include many personal accounts of taking it as a tea and how they did so.
rachel alphonse says
yes dry leafs 1st and a teaapoon per cup is fine , the people that did get ill through drinking comfrey teas,were taking 10 cups a day! see MONACA WILDE WEB PAGE , but if you took say 10 red bulls a day , you would get very ill too, its not banned!……….reason its banned.in my opinion is, because it works!! drug companys dont want you to use it , rather buy their drugs instead
Loucile says
I saw a post above that said they eat the flowers. Please don’t ingest Comfrey. I knew somebody that drank the tea all the time and it gave her liver cancer. I have also read in articles that it can give you liver cancer.
Marie Mul says
Marie says,
My comfrey in Holland is doing very well. I cut the plant several times in a year and I put the leaves in a bucket and let it stand for about a week. I take the leaves out of the bucket and I put it in my compostheap. I put the green water in a plastic bottle for the half and the other half I fill with water..This is a fantastic fertiliser. Thank you Amy for your good article.
Amy says
I bet your garden is really great with all of that comfrey fertilizer! Great idea. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Maureen Erdwin says
Hi there,
Please tell me if Comfrey actually supports worms or could kill them or how does one judge a balanced amount, would need to be judged for the compost heaps or worm farm/containers?
Regards,
The English Woman
Amy says
Your worms would love to have some comfrey. Maybe a handful a week, or as much green material as you would normally add at one time. Same thing in an outdoor compost heap–add as much as you would any other type of green material.
Tania says
I had an old friend/mentor that lived a long and healthy life and swore by comfrey. She used it on herself and her goats. I am planning on getting some for my garden and outside the goat pen as well. Thank you for clarifying which type of comfrey is which. I am pretty sure I want to go with Russian in the garden and around the orchard, but I think I will try common Comfrey up by chicken and goat area so they have access to it as needed. That’s where I remember my friend always having it planted.
Ma Kettle says
According to Mrs M Grieve, http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/comfre92.html, prickly comfrey was used as livestock feed when first introduced but it was not their preferred food. I wonder if it is the prickles that animals dislike: some spiny plants are used to repel foraging animals from otherwise tasty gardens. Bonus ; )
Amy says
I think you’re on to something 🙂 Also, what I’ve heard is that because comfrey is a medicinal plant, grazing animals have a knack for detecting that it should be eaten in moderation rather than as the main course.
Carol Samsel says
Since I was given seeds last winter I am growing True Comfrey. I only planted 4 seeds and only got one plant but will be planting more of the seeds for the next garden season. I was just looking at my one plant today thinking I need to chop the leaves before we get a frost. I am glad to read about being careful with the flowers though. The person that gave me the seeds said it was extremely difficult to grow from seeds and I’d rather be safe than having it grow where I don’t want it. 🙂
Sima Currie says
Hello,
I live in suburb of Los Angeles, Zone 10. I have purchased some comfrey seeds. How should I plant these seeds and what kind of soil I should use. Thank you in advance and have a great Holidays.
Amy says
Comfrey is slow to get started, even when compared to other perennials. It can be started in regular potting soil. Comfrey won’t really take off until it is in a permanent spot in the garden, though, as comfrey doesn’t like to have its roots bound in a pot.
You’ll have to be extra careful in your zone 10 to keep your baby comfrey moist and sheltered from the hot sun. Even after it is established, it will do best in a shaded environment with supplemental watering to keep it somewhat moist.
Penny Ward says
Comfrey isone of my favorite garden plants. I let it grow, and it reaches 8 feet tall. This year, even though it grew threw a support, the rain beat it down and it is sprawling all over the ground. It is already blooming. If I cut it back, will it re-bloom?
Amy says
Absolutely, comfrey will re-bloom several times per season.
kathy says
I purchased 2 comfrey plants from growers exchange back in May.
Its never had blossoms. Doesn’t look like a comfrey plant . If I send a picture to you can you tell me what you think?
Candace says
About the dog. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was poke weed the dog ate. Poke weed and comfrey look very similar but poke weed is very poisonous unless cooked. Be SURE you know what you have growing.
Amber says
I bought a package of 15 seeds. I put them on a paper towel, filled it, sprayed it with a mist of water not enough to soak the paper towel, but enough to moisten it good. I then placed it in a baggie and putit inthe butto bottom drawer of my fridge. I waited 2 weeks, then even tho none of the seeds appeared to be germinated, i lightly placed itin a pot with some good garden soil slightly covering the paper towel. Two weeks to the day of misting the pot, i found two sprouts. The next day 4 all together. We will see how day 3 looks, but i can say that the refrigeration method of germination worked for me. Yes it took 28 days tillse a sprout, but i have 4 now andam very excited as i got true comfrey to germinate. I’m a brown thumber, so this is awesome for me. I will be using these initially for balms and poultice, but will start composting after i get an established root system going so i don’t kill any off. I also have my area I’m planting them in a very well covered area as to attempt to not have them get too out of control. I will harvest my leaves, dehydrate them and use them in my healing balms. I am extremely excited i got them to grow from seed. I live next to the Mississippi river in my front yard basically, but it’s also a very sunny spot. I’ll try and update on my progress. Can’t wait for my baby sprouts to take off. Yeaaaaaa
Amy says
Sounds like a plan! Let us know how it goes!
Meredith says
Thanks so much for this helpful article! I first heard about using comfrey as a fertilizer on the British gardening show Big Dreams, Small Spaces, and I’ve been interested in trying it ever since! I haven’t seen any plants or cuttings to purchase at any of the big box stores. Any suggestions?
Amy says
Not other than the links I provide in the article…
M. J. says
I bought a comfrey plant at our farmer’s market and planted it in my small garden which I’m mostly using now for compost. Only after planting did I hear about Russian comfrey. The grower didn’t know whether he had Russian or true. Is there a way I can determine if my one-year plant is Russian or true? Leaf shape? Flowers?
Amy says
They are very similar. So similar, in fact, that unless you had the two varieties right next to each other, it would be difficult to see the difference. If the grower didn’t know, then it’s probably true comfrey, grown from seed. S/he would likely remember if they planted root cuttings to cultivate Russian comfrey. True comfrey leaves are more narrow and it produces more flowers, while Russian comfrey has wider and more prolific leaves, with fewer flowers. Russian comfrey is superior for creating biomass, while true comfrey is superior for feeding beneficial insects.
Barbara says
How do I obtain either a comfrey cutting, a root cuting, or comfrey seed?
Patricia says
I clicked on an articke titled “How to Grow Comfrey” and found much info, but none on HOW to grow it.
lisa cowell says
I planted 1 Borage plant last year, I know I’ll have it all over the place…much to my surprise. Does Borage have deep roots like Comfrey? I have 1-1/2 ac. so, not too worried, but it would be good to know. Thank you
Deborah says
Your borage is likely reproducing through seed. If you weed it out in the spring (you can eat it, it`s delicious – like cucumber), then you can control where it grows. Another option is to cut it after it flowers so it doesn`t seed out. I think it’s worthwhile for a garden because it brings such high rates of pollination due to the amount of bees it attracts.
Kathy says
Hi Amy
Was wondering can veggies be planted close to my comfrey plants?
Amy says
The two can grow together just fine. 🙂
Linda says
hello! I couldn’t find where to leave new comment..
Thanks for reading….just received comfrey crowns and root starts. I have YouTubed but conflicting advice. My question to one with experience with Comfrey: best to start in pots then transplant? Start in ground? I have a hillside, part shade, that I would love to plant there to help with soil erosion, as well as plant in part of my landscape garden. Thanks for any advice/suggestions. PS loved your article, gleaned much advice, except if I can plant on hillside in shade.. 🙂
Amy says
Comfrey would prefer that hillside, shady location over starting in a pot. It doesn’t do well in a pot for long.
David Binner says
Hello.
Lots of good information in this article. However, one small bit of information I didn’t find was how old do Comfrey plants have to be before they start flowering? Apparently, Comfrey flowers from May to first frost, but does that statement only apply to plants older than 1 (2, 3, …) years old? The reason I ask is because I am a Comfrey newbie; I just started a couple Bocking 4 plants this Spring from root cuttings. The plants seem to be doing well, but can I expect any flowers from them this year? If not this year, next year?
Amy says
Most perennial herbs do not flower in their first year, but you can expect flowers in the second year on healthy plants.
Joe S. says
I have lots of questions.
If you decide you no longer want comfrey, how hard is it to get rid of it?
Can it grow under pine trees?
How tall is the plant? Does it stay green through all three seasons?
When does it bloom? Are the blossoms numerous enough to be noticed from a distance?
Can I mulch leaves and put it on my lawn to break down the clay?
Amy says
It’s pretty easy to dig up and relocate in its first year, but after that, you may have a hard time removing all of the root pieces. It’s not invasive, just persistent.
How tall it gets depends on how rich your soil is. In poor soil, mine only reached 3 feet tall, but given rich soil, it can reportedly reach 5 feet tall.
Mulching with comfrey leaves would not affect a lawn on clay soil. Decompaction with an aerator would be your best bet. Here are 6 ways to improve clay soil.
Julia says
Hi! We had what I was told was comfrey at a rental house and if we brushed up against it the prickles were very irritating to our skin. Any idea what variety it could have been? I want to plant some but I’m scared now! Lol
Sue says
Hi! We have Bocking 14 Russain comfrey.It grows very well here; we have very alkaline soil ( if you can grow blueberries and azaleas, you have acid soil, the opposite).Lots of plants won’t grow in alkaline soil, but it seems to love it. Our soil is clay loam, and the comfrey seems ok as long as it gets water during summer. ( I water it about as often as the fruit trees, a couple of times a week, after it got established. Nothing grows here that can’t handle a little drought, but in our summers with little or no rain it would die without extra water.
I had to move a plant, and the large 6 or 8 inch root pieces grew back well into new plants with daily water to start. I don’t think it would like either flooding or no water, but it is very durable when given basic help.
It seems to handle sunny fine here, though only in places where other plants or the house provide a bit of protection.
I have a root of true comfrey, and will see if it comes up this spring.it is supposed to be a little less durable?
Bocking 4 is supposed to have longer roots and taste better for goats also, so the plan is to grow that too.
I am wondering if in the places where comfrey isn’t growing for people, maybe the soil is too acid? Don’t know, but it could be the problem? They may want to look into acid loving plants instead.
Connie Brooks says
29 years ago I did a home birth and my midwives left me a covered dish in the fridge. It contained comfrey tea leaves rolled in gauze like burritos that were damp and cold in the fridge. They were an amazing tool for healing the episiotomy and so soothing cold. I think they were placed on top of a panty liner or maybe the old plastic panties with elastic to hold pads, I can’t remember. But they were wonderful. After a third child with no tearing or cutting I realized the hardest part of childbirth recovery is the episiotomy. Every new mom should have a covered dish of comfrey tea wraps in her fridge!
Matthew says
Can you use Russian Comfrey for compresses and salves? I have a lot of Russian Comfrey growing in my garden, and I use it for green mulch, but would love to take advantage of the medicinal properties of the plant as well.
I don’t think I have any of the “true” comfrey growing, as all of my flower buds are purple and I planted mostly root cuttings from the Russian variety.
Amy says
Yes, you can! It’s safe to use them interchangeably for both mulch and medicine. The only noticeable difference is that Russian comfrey is grows biomass for mulch more vigorously, while true comfrey sows volunteers more vigorously.
Ginger Rivers says
First time comfrey grower here! I ordered two comfrey cuttings and planted them into the ground this summer. I got little growth and the leaves have died back completely, but I’m wondering if the roots are still alive. I’m wondering if my problem was transplanting during summer. Should I dig down and check the roots? Any advice welcome!
Amy says
Summer is a hard time to plant perennials because it’s so hot and dry. If your comfrey is still alive, then it will come back in the spring. In the future, I’d plant in either spring or fall, and don’t let it dry out during its first year. 🙂
Suzanne says
Hi Amy,
I put twenty comfrey seeds in moist peat in the fridge for two months (I had planned on 1 month) and pulled them out the other day and promptly forgot them on the table. Now I have germinating seeds! After reading through your post and the comments, I’m going to plant them on the side of the chicken house on a shady hill, to cut back on the erosion and have them available for healing and mulching. I’ve read the roots can plunge to eight feet deep.
As a side note, is there any way to reformat the comments so the full replies can be read without constantly shifting the window size to re-justify? Each successive reply gets more and more chopped off at the right margin. It’s even worse when you try to read them on a tablet or phone.
Thanks for all of your content.
David says
Hi Amy – very curious on how did the comfrey help heal a scar on your face? Was it a new/old scar? Would love to hear more about it.
Amy says
Comfrey is high in allantoin, a natural substance known for its healing properties. Horse chestnut and bearberry are two other plants which higher, naturally occurring levels of allantoin. You can find allantoin in many over the counter creams, lotions, and shaving creams. I’ve used homemade comfrey salve on both new and old scars with positive results. The key is to be diligent in applying it regularly. It is not recommended for use on open wounds.
Jay Young says
Hi Amy,
Love your site!
I have a comfrey plant that is happy. I am curious as to how do I take leaves from the plant in a way that it will allow the plant to thrive and I get the leaves to mulch.
Amy says
Comfrey is resilient. Simply cut the stems at the base and the plant will grow more. I wouldn’t cut leaves in the first year so that your plant can establish itself.