Comfrey is a hardy, perennial herbaceous plant of the family Boraginaceae with a turnip-like root and large, broad hairy leaves. It bears small convex white, cream, purplish or pink blossoms.
It is endemic to Europe, thriving in moist, grassy sites. Comfrey has long been accredited by both organic gardeners and herbalists for its great usefulness and versatility. It has been employed for centuries as curative herb of excellence.
Comfrey is a quick growing plant, giving rise to large quantities of leaf during the growing time of year; very nitrogen hungry. Although it will carry on growing regardless of nitrogen availability, it will do well from the addition of animal manure put on as mulch.
Developed comfrey plants could be harvested up to four or five times a year. They are ready for cutting once about 60-70cm high. Cut back the plant about 5cm above the soil, taking care when handling it since the leaves and stems are covered up in hairs that could irritate the skin.
Propagation is by seed or root division during autumn. When parting comfrey plants take care not to disperse root breaks up around, or discard on the compost pile as from each one a new plant could re-root, and comfrey could be a very hard plant to get rid of.
Comfrey is a especially worthily source of fertility to the organic gardener. It is a very deeply rooted plant mining a host of nutrients from the ground. These are then made available by its fast growing leaves which, rapidly break down leaving all important plant nutrient needful for flowers, seed and fruit yields.
One of its country names for comfrey was ‘knit bone’, a reminder of its traditional employment in healing. Contemporary science substantiates that comfrey can act upon the course of bone ailments. The herb contains allantoin, a cell proliferant that accelerates the natural replacement of body cells.
Comfrey was utilized to treat a variety of ailments ranging from bronchial problems, broken bones, sprains, arthritis, gastric and varicose ulcerations, serious burns, acne and other skin conditions. Internal usage of comfrey should be avoided.