Purchase includes:
2 bare roots - plant directly into the ground soil
Oh let's count the reasons to LOVE this plant! It has several uses ranging from powerful healing properties to feeding your livestock, fertilizing fruit trees, and crops, plus an excellent bee forage, just to mention a few. This is a must-have plant for every garden and farm!
Growing Zone
Perennial in zones 3-9
Watering
Water when dry and avoid over-watering. Comfrey plants like an even amount of soil moisture. Be sure to keep the soil of young plants consistently moist but not soggy.
Planting
Root cuttings are the best way to grow this plant. 1 ft high - 3 ft wide. Can be grown from seed.
Soil
Comfrey can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, including clay soil and somewhat sandy soil. But it prefers organically rich, loamy soil that has good drainage. It does not require fertilizer due to its long taproot which draws nutrients—nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients like calcium and magnesium—from the soil. I recommend adding a nice layer of leaf compost twice a year especially during the winter months.
Companion plants
Pear, Plum, Nectarine, Apple, Peach, Apricot, Persimmon, Tomato, Potato, Cucumber, Capsicum, and flowers.
Comfrey brings nutrients to the soil and acts as the perfect natural organic fertilizer for its companion plants. It improves soil conditions especially in hard soil by breaking it up with its long roots.
Farmers often plant comfrey throughout their crops cutting them back regularly during harvest season to distribute their large leaves as fertilizer. Comfrey leaves are high in nitrogen and other essential minerals and can be used as mulch or compost to enrich the soil and promote healthy plant growth. In addition, comfrey attracts pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects, improving overall garden health.
Comfrey leaves are a great choice for making compost tea to feed plants, which may help prevent powdery mildew.
Harvest
You can harvest comfrey from late spring through fall once flowers emerge. Use fresh leaves for poultices. Sun dry (or oven dry on the lowest heat setting) the leaves and use them right away for herbal oil, creams, and salves.
Herb Overview
Healing Properties:
Comfrey has been used medicinally for at least 2,000 years for various conditions, including bone fractures, sprains, and wounds. It can be considered toxic when taken internally so it is best used for external applications.
"One of this herbal remedy’s nicknames is knit-bone because it can help speed up the healing process for broken bones, as well as other injuries. It is also rich in calcium, which is a key ingredient in bone growth. The unique combination of organic compounds found in comfrey can stimulate the regrowth of bone minerals, by facilitating more efficient uptake and use of these minerals within the body." https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-benefits-of-comfrey-ointment-88624
"Comfrey is excellent to use topically on sprains, pulled muscles, swellings, and fractures. It is a wonderful first aid herb to have on hand in case you or someone you know twists their ankle. A foot soak or a comfrey poultice can bring relief and help speed up the healing process. But comfrey must be used with caution and respect. It is such an excellent and speedy wound-healing remedy that it actually should not be used on deep wounds or lacerations. It could potentially heal the top layer of skin before the bottom layer, resulting in an abscess. So please avoid comfrey for major skin wounds, and use it only for bruises, sprains, and minor cuts and scratches." https://www.cambridgenaturals.com/blog/comfrey-symphytum-officinale
Good for livestock:
"Studies show that comfrey contains selenium which is often deficient in our fields and livestock. It also has lower levels of fiber, which makes it good for pigs and chickens. Common wisdom says ruminants and milk animals increase lactation when they eat comfrey. Dairy goats and deer love comfrey and often invade the garden to get at it...but use your best judgment...for regular feedings." https://morningchores.com/growing-comfrey/