![]() ![]() ![]() ⇒ How to Make A Self-Sufficient Backyard on 1/4 of an Acre (Video) Growing Comfrey from Seeds It will take only about ten days for the new plant to emerge. Crown division is the fastest method to use. Root cuttings are the least expensive and can also be availed online. More commonly, comfrey is grown from root cuttings, crown division, or transplant of an existing plant. Today, you may buy comfrey seed varieties from online stores that are ready for planting but may not always be viable. Some varieties like the Russian comfrey are sterile and will only propagate through cuttings or divisions. In some regions, it may take the seeds about two years to germinate. Comfrey requires a chilling period to germinate. Symphytum x uplandicum, or Russian comfrey, has a blue bloom and a cytotype of the common and prickly comfreyĬomfrey is an uncommon crop that is often grown vegetatively because of its low seed production.Symphytum asperum Lepechin, or Prickly comfrey, with pink or blue flowers.Symphytum officinale L., or common or wild comfrey, native to England with purple or cream-yellow flowers.Comfrey is known by many names such as ass ear, blackwort, black root, boneset, knitbone, slippery root, knitbeack, and healing herb. It is an herbaceous perennial often used as a ground cover that grows in clumping and spreading habits. Symphytum officinale is a member of the Boraginaceae or forget-me-not family. ⇒ Plant Identification Guide – 400 Wild Plants That You Can Forage For (Video) It often grows to about 30 cm high that elongates rapidly to about 120 cm. The stems of comfrey are green, winged, and hairy. When dried, the comfrey roots are slimy and horn-like in appearance. Its root is like a woody shrub that looks like a black turnip. Comfrey has an extensive root system that burrows deep into the soil. As it matures, it splits into four sections or nutlets that bear the tiny seeds. Its fruits are curved and drooped downwards. The true comfrey has a relatively low seed production. Each flower has five petals and sepals fused into a cup or tube. They are bell-shaped and arranged in drooping clusters. Depending on the variety, it may have purple, creamy yellow, or white blossoms. The flowers of comfrey bloom in late spring to early winter. The base of the upper leaf of the comfrey runs closely attached to the length of the stem. Each leaf is lanced or oval-shaped, and measures about 15 cm long and at least 7 to 15 cm wide. The leaf type is simple and arranged in a rosette pattern. Comfrey leaves are green and rough because of the presence of hairs. Comfrey is conspicuously hairy, but these hairs collapse when the plant wilts. It grows in a dense cluster of foliage resembling a fountain of leaves. Showy but drooping violet flowers dot the comfrey plant during its blooming season. ⇒ The Complete Map of Edible Plants: Find Out What You Have in Your Area! (Video) How To Identify Comfrey Comfrey favors damp and grassy places, and they are often found lining river banks, fens, and marshes. This herbaceous perennial naturally thrives in cooler conditions and will survive drought and frost. Where Comfrey Is FoundĬomfrey hailed from the temperate regions of Europe and Western Asia and was naturalized in the United States. Thus, comfrey was temporarily restricted to be cultivated as a food crop. In 1978, Japan published a study depicting the adverse effects comfrey can cause to the liver. The use of comfrey as food and fodder was challenged by scientific studies due to its carcinogenic properties. They used it for treating heavy bleeding, bronchial illnesses, wounds, and bone problems. Since the early 400 BC, comfrey exists as a healing herb used by the Greeks and Romans. It is also considered an excellent crop for mulching and organic fertilizing. It is sold as ointments or topical salves and tinctures. However, they are still propagated as garden ornamentals and as topical medicine. Today, comfrey is rarely used for food purposes for humans and animals. There is information pertaining to its toxicity and possible risk for cancer and liver damage with unreasonable intake. The plant has a long history in folk and ancient herbal treatments before comfrey is deemed unsafe for consumption. It also came as a reference to the belief that comfrey can mend broken bones. It is called knitbone or boneset, referring to the bone-like growth of its roots. Comfrey ( Symphytum officinale) is an attractive ornamental plant used in gardening and medicine. ![]()
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