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Symphytum officinale - L.

Common Name Comfrey, Common comfrey
Family Boraginaceae
USDA hardiness 3-10
Known Hazards This plant contains small quantities of a toxic alkaloid which can have a cumulative effect upon the liver. Largest concentrations are found in the roots, leaves contain higher quantities of the alkaloid as they grow older and young leaves contain almost none. Most people would have to consume very large quantities of the plant in order to do any harm, though anyone with liver problems should obviously be more cautious. In general, the health-promoting properties of the plant probably far outweigh any possible disbenefits, especially if only the younger leaves are used. Use topically on unbroken skin. May cause loss of appetite, abdominal pain, vomiting. Do not use with Eucalyptus. Do not combine with herbs containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids (e.g. agrimony, alpine ragwort, help, tansy ragwort) [301].
Habitats Damp, often shady localities, in meadows, woods etc, especially near streams and rivers[9, 17, 244].
Range Europe, including Britain, south and east from Scandanavia to Spain, Siberia and Turkey.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (4 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (5 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Symphytum officinale Comfrey, Common comfrey


Symphytum officinale Comfrey, Common comfrey

 

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Summary

Bloom Color: Blue, Pink, White. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Late summer, Late spring, Mid summer. Form: Upright or erect.


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Symphytum officinale is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 0.6 m (2ft in) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen from June to July. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Hedgerow; Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves  Shoots
Edible Uses: Gum  Tea

Young leaves - cooked or raw[2, 4, 5, 9, 46, 61]. The leaf is hairy and the texture is mucilaginous. It may be full of minerals but it is not pleasant eating for most tastes. It can be chopped up finely and added to salads, in this way the hairiness is not so obvious[183, K]. Young shoots can be used as an asparagus substitute[46]. The blanched stalks are used[183]. Older leaves can be dried and used as a tea[26]. The peeled roots are cut up and added to soups[183]. A tea is made from the dried leaves and roots[183]. The roasted roots are used with dandelion and chicory roots for making coffee[183].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Anodyne  Antidiarrhoeal  Antirheumatic  Astringent  Demulcent  Eczema  Emollient  Expectorant  
Haemostatic  Homeopathy  Refrigerant  Vulnerary

Comfrey is a commonly used herbal medicine with a long and proven history in the treatment of various complaints. The root and the leaves are used, the root being more active, and they can be taken internally or used externally as a poultice[4, 222]. Comfrey is especially useful in the external treatment of cuts, bruises, sprains, sores, eczema, varicose veins, broken bones etc, internally it is used in the treatment of a wide range of pulmonary complaints, internal bleeding etc[4, 238, K]. The plant contains a substance called 'allantoin', a cell proliferant that speeds up the healing process[4, 21, 26, 165, 222, 238]. This substance is now synthesized in the pharmaceutical industry and used in healing creams[238]. The root and leaves are anodyne, astringent (mild), demulcent, emollient, expectorant, haemostatic, refrigerant, vulnerary[4, 21, 26, 165, 222]. Some caution is advised, however, especially in the internal use of the herb. External applications and internally taken teas or tinctures of the leaves are considered to be completely safe, but internal applications of tablets or capsules are felt to have too many drawbacks for safe usage[238]. See also the notes above on toxicity. The leaves are harvested in early summer before the plant flowers, the roots are harvested in the autumn. Both are dried for later use[238]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh root, harvested before the plant flowers[232]. This has a very limited range of application, but is of great benefit in the treatment of broken bones and eye injuries[232]. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Symphytum officinale for blunt injuries (see [302] for critics of commission E).

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Biomass  Compost  Gum

The plant grows very quickly, producing a lot of bulk. It is tolerant of being cut several times a year and can be used to provide 'instant compost' for crops such as potatoes. Simply layer the wilted leaves at the bottom of the potato trench or apply them as a mulch in no-dig gardens. A liquid feed can be obtained by soaking the leaves in a small amount of water for a week, excellent for potassium demanding crops such as tomatoes. The leaves are also a very valuable addition to the compost heap[26, 200]. A gum obtained from the roots was at one time used in the treatment of wool before it was spun[100]. A dynamic accumulator gathering minerals or nutrients from the soil and storing them in a more bioavailable form - used as fertilizer or to improve mulch.

Special Uses

Dynamic accumulator  Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Landscape Uses:Border, Ground cover, Specimen. Tolerates most soils and situations but prefers a moist soil and some shade[1, 4]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Best grown in an open sunny site in a deep rich soil if it is being grown for compost material[200]. Plants can be invasive, often spreading freely by means of self-sown seed. The root system is very deep and difficult to eradicate, even small fragments of root left in the soil can produce new plants. Special Features:Attractive foliage, Edible, Fragrant foliage, Not North American native, Invasive, Naturalizing. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 9 through 1. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread [1-2]. The root pattern is fibrous dividing into a large number of fine roots [1-2]. The root pattern is fleshy. Thick or swollen - fibrous or tap root [1-2].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

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Propagation

Seed - sow spring or autumn in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. If you have sufficient seed you can try an outdoor sowing in situ in the spring. Division succeeds at almost any time of the year. Simply use a spade to chop off the top 7cm of root just below the soil level. The original root will regrow and you will have a number of root tops, each of which will make a new plant. These can either be potted up or planted out straight into their permanent positions.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

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Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Symphytum asperumPrickly ComfreyPerennial1.5 4-8 FLMHSNM323
Symphytum grandiflorumGround Cover Comfrey, ComfreyPerennial0.4 3-9 FLMHFSM004
Symphytum orientaleWhite comfreyPerennial0.8 3-9 FLMHSNM003
Symphytum tuberosumTuberous comfreyPerennial0.6 4-8 FLMHSNM203
Symphytum uplandicumComfreyPerennial1.2 4-8 FLMHSNM354

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

17200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Jakob Davies S.   Thu Nov 29 00:53:10 2001

About the TEXT:

It's really NOT a comment about the plant, rather regarding an apparent spelling error. In "Known Hazards" the text beginns by saying: This plant contains small quantities of a toxic alkaliod, (should this not read: "alkaLOID"??), which can have a cumulative effect upon the liver. ...

Not being facetious, just trying to help, honest.

Chris   Thu Mar 31 03:26:18 2005

Richo Cech of Horizon Herbs, says in his book "Making Plant Medicine" p 127-8 that comfrey should not be used in pregnancy as it could be life threatening to the fetus. I have read that rabbit people recommend it for rabbits but would it be harmful to pregnant ones?

George   Fri Nov 11 2005

What's a rabbit person? Is it a human-rabbit hybrid?

Dr Jaume Camps   Tue Jun 12 2007

In some poarts of Spain we use the comfrey as food. Only the young leaves, after cleaning their hair. Simply boiled. In Aragon is a real "delicatessen". The Symphytum officinale was the principal ingredient in a haemostatic balsam formula, used in humans and animals,"invented" by the great Veterinary Dr Segimón Malats, who created the first Vet University College in Madrid, sixt in the world, in 1.772.

juan de Marcken   Mon Feb 18 2008

I disagree completely about culinary qualities of this plant wich I rate among the best the intire leaf can be prepare as spenach though more palatable and fried with donuts'kind of paste it is outstanding specialy with a slice of dutch cheese or sheddar in it. just try and you will certainly agree with me bon appétit!

Guy   Fri Mar 7 2008

I have found nothing better to close a clean wound quickly than a poultice of comfrey.

Mi Bri   Tue Jun 3 2008

There are several varieties of Comfrey as developed by the Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA). The most commonly available variety (in UK) is Bocking 14. This variety has high levels of allantoin (for healing) and high levels of Potassium which makes it less palatable. A more palatable variety is Bocking 4 which has less Potassium. This folk remedy is popular in America where it is used in 'green drinks' as a tonic. In the last six months I have only found a supplier (of Bocking 4) in Canada. Ref: Comfrey Past Present and Future. Author: Lawrence D Hills (of the HDRA)

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