James Burghardt
Family
Boraginaceae
Botanical Name
Symphytum officinale
Plant Common Name
Common Comfrey
General Description
Long cultivated as a medicinal plant, comfrey is a large, coarse, rhizomatous perennial from forests of Europe and Asia.
The hairy, gray- to mid-green, oval to lance-shaped leaves of this hardy perennial are borne on tall, bristly stems that arise in spring from deep thick underground rhizomes. Curving clusters of bell-shaped, bee-pollinated flowers appear at the stem tips from late spring into summer. The flowers range in color from pink to purple to white. Plants often self-sow profusely if not deadheaded.
Comfrey grows best in full to partial sun and moist humus-rich soil. It benefits from a hard post-bloom pruning to avert self-sowing and force fresh new growth. This coarse, vigorously spreading perennials work best in large informal plantings. Its hybrid S. × uplandicum offers more ornamental possibilities, especially in its variegated forms (such as 'Axminster Gold').
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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Soil Drainage
Average
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Soil type
Clay, Loam
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Growth Rate
Fast
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Water Requirements
Average Water
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Habit
Spreading
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
White, Purple, Pink, Violet, Ivory
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green, Gray Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green, Gray Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green, Gray Green
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Coarse
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Usage
Herb / Vegetable
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
Sometimes
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Self-Sowing
Yes
