Common comfrey Symphytum officinale
Table of Contents
Common comfrey
Plant family: Boraginaceae
Aliases: Black root, bone set, healing herb, true comfrey
Flowering period: May – July
Flower colour: White, cream, yellow, pink, blue, purple
Preferred soil type: Most types, moist
Habitat: Grassland, roadside verges, ditch banks
Status: Common
General information
A perennial wildflower, native to Europe and a member of the borage family, common comfrey thrives in moist soils and is commonly seen growing in hedgerows, damp woodland and river & ditch banks. Although common comfrey will tolerate some shade, it’s happiest growing in locations that receive ample sunlight. There are many species of comfrey, with the flowers often varying in colour from white – cream to pale pink – purple to blue.
Common comfrey is a relatively tall plant reaching 1.2 metres in height and anchors itself with a deep, black turnip-like root system (up to 2 metres deep) that is able to tap into nutrient reserves and water that’s unavailable to other plants. Once established it’s very drought tolerant and is sometimes considered a weed, as it’s quite an invasive plant.
Identification
Flowers: The nodding, tubular flowers of comfrey are borne in branched, coiled clusters, blooming between May and July measuring between 12-18mm long. Colour wise they can be white, cream, yellow, pink, blue or purple, they often cross-pollinate, producing different colour shades.
Leaves: The basal leaves are large (up to 25cm long) oval-lanceolate shaped, soft, hairy and un-toothed. The upper stem leaves are somewhat smaller, un-stalked with clasping stems (giving a winged appearance).
Value for wildlife
The colourful flowers are some of the top nectar producing plants and attract both honey bees and bumble bees. Its also the food source of the larvae are various species of butterflies and moths.
Uses for common comfrey
Common comfrey has many uses, from being edible, contain medicinal properties and being used as a fertiliser to enrich the soil. The young leaves can be cooked or eaten raw being added to salads, while the older, tougher leaves have been used to make tea. The shoots can be consumed as an asparagus substitute.
Common comfrey has long been a popular wildflower used in herbal medicine and remedies. Uses include treatment for sprains, strains, bruising, broken bones, wounds and coughs.
It has to be noted that common comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, that can cause liver damage and the use of any plant for medicinal use should only be undertaken following the advice of a doctor or medical professional.
The leaves are full of nitrogen and potassium due to the deep roots tapping into nutrient supplies within the root-zone, and for this reason they make a great addition to compost heaps.
Common comfrey images
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