Comfrey: planting & caring for the medicinal herb

Comfrey is an ancient medicinal plant that is also very interesting for bumblebees. We introduce the comfrey herb and reveal how to grow it in your own garden.

the comfrey (Symphytum officinale), also known as Wallwurz, has all sorts of healing powers. Therefore, people have been using it for thousands of years. The borage plant (Boraginaceae) is often found as a native weed in species-rich meadows and forest edges. We show the diverse uses of comfrey and explain the cultivation of the valuable herb step by step.

Comfrey: origin and properties

Comfrey is a perennial wild and medicinal plant native to us. If she feels at home at the location, the plant can be up to 20 years old.

Under the genus comfrey (symphytum), in English “Comfrey”, fall about 40 species native to Eurasia and North Africa. Our native species, the common or real comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is common between Spain and China. Comfrey is a herbaceous, perennial plant that dies above ground in winter and sprout again in spring. The deciduous perennial has roots down to a depth of 1.80 meters, grows to a height of around 30 to 60 centimeters and forms large leaves. The rigid stem and leaves are rough and bristly hairy, which is a typical feature of members of the borage family - as well forget Me Not (myosotis), bee friend(Phacelia tanacetifolia)and Adderhead (Echium vulgare) - is. The flowers hang down in multiples in so-called double whorls. They are reminiscent of small bells and are purple, yellow or white in colour. Comfrey blooms from May to October, depending on the variety and location. Only bee species with a long proboscis can use the nectar of the comfrey flower, which is why bumblebees (bomb sp.) and other large wild bees come to the banquet. However, most flowers are sterile and only rarely do seeds form. Wallwurz reproduces primarily vegetatively via the spurs of its rhizome, i.e. its creeping storage shoot.

Comfrey and Co.: Comfrey types and varieties

There are several types of comfrey that are used either as medicinal plants, fodder plants or ornamental plants. We present the most important types and varieties of comfrey:

The real comfrey is divided into three subspecies: The white comfrey (Symphytum officinale ssp. bohemian), the common comfrey (Symphytum officinale ssp. officinale) and the swamp comfrey (Symphytum officinale ssp. uliginosum). In addition to the common comfrey, the rough comfrey (Symphytum asperum) from the Caucasus can be seen more often. This species reaches heights of growth of up to 180 centimeters and is therefore significantly higher than the real comfrey. He was born when he was 16. Introduced as a fodder plant in the 19th century because it is significantly poorer in harmful pyrrolizidine alkaloids. From the real comfrey and the rough comfrey a hybrid was created, the feed comfrey (symphytum x uplandicum). This is completely free of alkaloids and so it is not only fed, but also administered as a medicinal plant in capsules for internal use. An ornamental species of comfrey is blue comfrey (Symphytum azureum), which is particularly impressive with its sky-blue flower color. In many perennial nurseries you will find a wide variety of varieties of the small Caucasus comfrey (Symphytum grandiflorum). The variety of varieties ranges from 'Miraculum' with red-pink-white flowers to 'Hidcote Blue' with deep red ones buds and white-soft blue flowers to 'Blue Bells' with large, blue-purple flowers and burgundy buds.

Plant & propagate comfrey

If you want to plant Comfrey, you can grow it using seeds, propagate vegetatively by division or use young plants from perennial nurseries.
Comfrey seeds are planted in low nutrient potting soil like ours on a warm windowsill in March Plantura organic herb and seed soil sown. In warm regions it can also be sown directly into the ground from April. The sowing depth is 5 centimeters. Comfrey germinates somewhat irregularly and should be planted in more nutrient-rich soil, such as ours, after about three weeks if grown indoors Plantura organic universal soil, to be implemented. In May, the young plants are placed in their final location, where they take root over the summer and thus survive the winter.
However, dividing an existing comfrey perennial is much easier than sowing. With a sharp spade, part of the roots including the buds are cut off in the spring and planted in a new place. Of course, plants from the perennial nursery or the garden center can also be planted. When planting, be careful not to damage the rhizomes and put sufficient high-quality potting soil in the generously laid out planting hole.

Comfrey can be propagated again from its own seeds, the so-called claustrophobia. They rarely form, however, since most flowers are sterile. In autumn, the seeds are collected and left to dry indoors so that they can be sown in the spring. As already described, however, vegetative propagation through root cuttings and division is the much simpler option.

comfrey location

If you want to plant comfrey, you should find an optimal place for it in partially shaded to sunny areas that have well-moist, humus-rich soil. The ideal location for comfrey is under the canopy of old trees, where the plant usually finds the humus-rich soil it needs.

Comfrey care

Comfrey and related species require little care, as wild plants they are very adaptable and undemanding. When planting comfrey, there are just a few points to consider when watering and fertilizing.

pour comfrey

The common comfrey always needs well moist soil. Especially in the first year after planting, it should always be watered sufficiently, because dried out soil promises the death of the medicinal plant. Even older plants should be watered again and again in extremely dry summers.

Tip: With a mulch layer made of organic materials, the soil stays moist much longer and you save liters of irrigation water.

Fertilize comfrey

As a perennial plant, the Wallwurz often stands in the same location for many years. Every now and then the nutrient supply should be replenished by fertilizing, especially if the common comfrey is harvested regularly. In spring an organic universal fertilizer like ours Plantura organic universal fertilizer Scattering is enough to cover the needs of comfrey. Alternatively, it is also possible to use mature compost.

Use of comfrey

Comfrey has a long history as a medicinal plant and is still commonly used today as a comfrey ointment. But comfrey can also be used for fertilization.

Comfrey as fertilizer

The comfrey herb can be fermented into a nutrient-rich plant manure. In addition to the main nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, it also contains numerous micronutrients and silicic acid. The manure can also be used to fertilize and strengthen plants against pathogens and pests in a ratio of 1:10 in the irrigation water. However, in order not to weaken the comfrey itself too much, only the non-blooming shoots should be harvested - and at most four times a year.

Comfrey as a medicinal plant

Only the real comfrey is used as a medicinal plant and has been since ancient times. Comfrey's name, both in German and Latin, refers to one of its most important uses, bone healing with comfrey. symphytum and the old German word "wallen" means "to grow together" and "leg" used to refer to bones (bones).

The root or, more rarely, the comfrey was used for treatment. Both contain mucilage, saponins, tannins, the skin-caring allantoin and, typical for Borealis, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are toxic to organs and tissues when used internally works. Comfrey or comfrey ointment should therefore only be used externally and not applied to open wounds. The comfrey effect is analgesic, wound-healing and anti-inflammatory. That is why ointments, gels and other comfrey extracts are used primarily for sports injuries such as strains and bruises, but also for rheumatic pain.

Tip: Make your own comfrey ointment
In order to make a comfrey ointment from the raw product, the comfrey root, an oil extract must first be produced. For this purpose, finely chopped comfrey root is placed in a closed container in olive oil for four to six weeks. An ointment can then be made from it with the help of beeswax and a little heat.

Since time immemorial, people have used the healing powers of plants to alleviate all kinds of ailments. We'll provide you with the 10 best medicinal plants from your own garden before and what effects they promise.