It has been used both topically and internally for many centuries in Europe to help heal broken bones, bruises, burns, and wounds. Soothing, slimy, and healing, comfrey is known informally as knitbone thanks to its long-standing reputation for being able to speed up recovery from bone injuries and wounds. If these benefits are not enough to convince you of its usefulness in the garden, then you can simply delight in the fact that the beautiful bell-shaped purple flowers will attract plenty of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Research on the use of comfrey tea has also revealed that it can be used to prevent the spread of powdery mildew. The high level of nitrogen available in the leaves can balance out a high carbon to nitrogen ratio, and helps jump-start the decomposition process.Īnother way to take advantage of the nutrients available in this plant is to make a “comfrey tea,” which can be used as an organic fertilizer that’s rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.įor complete instructions on how to make comfrey fertilizer tea at home check out our guide. Leaves can also be incorporated into compost piles to accelerate the process. This herb is vigorous, and in my experience, it will likely continue to thrive no matter what you do to it! Repeatedly chopping down leaves for mulch also causes some root dieback, which allows portions of the roots to decompose underground and recycle nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium back into the soil.ĭon’t worry about this dieback damaging your plants. This green manure can also be planted in a ring around perennial fruit, nut, or ornamental trees.Ĭut leaves applied as mulch provide a much-needed source of potassium, an important plant nutrient. I often apply the freshly cut leaves as a mulch directly on top of the soil, but for a neater look, they can be chopped up and worked into the top few inches instead. It is known in permaculture circles as a dynamic accumulator or nutrient accumulator its long, thick taproots reach deep into the soil and draw potassium, calcium, and magnesium up into the above-ground parts, where they accumulate in the foliage.Īnd the rapidly growing, large leaves create a substantial amount of biomass, which can be cut repeatedly throughout the season and used to add a nutrient-rich mulch to annual garden beds. Whether you are looking to build the soil, fertilize your garden, attract pollinators, or treat external injuries, this versatile plant is an incredibly worthwhile one to have around! Garden UseĬomfrey is a rich source of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as well as micronutrients including calcium and magnesium. Though no longer commonly consumed as food since we’re now aware of the potential health risks, comfrey still has so much to offer. Hills, British horticulturist, founded the Henry Doubleday Research Organization in Essex, UK, to continue researching comfrey, and he developed a sterile strain known as ‘Bocking 14’ or Quaker comfrey, an homage to Doubleday’s religion. However, recent studies have found it to be carcinogenic when taken internally in large quantities, potentially causing significant liver damage. x upandicum hybrid was heavily promoted by researcher Henry Doubleday as a food and forage crop. Native to Europe and Asia, wild comfrey was likely brought to the US by English immigrants for medicinal use. The word “comfrey” comes from the Latin verb confervere, and the botanical name Symphytum is derived from the Greek symphyo, with both meaning “grow together.”Ī powerful healer, it is still used by herbalists today to treat wounds, bone injuries, and other ailments. It was used by the Greeks and Romans to heal broken bones and wounds. Cultivation and HistoryĬomfrey has been cultivated for medicine since around 400 BC. You will often find it growing wild in disturbed areas.Ĭomfrey has a long history of medicinal use, and it offers a number of benefits for the garden. The ovate leaves grow rapidly and, if repeatedly cut down, comfrey can continue to flower all through the summer. This medicinal herb is easy to identify, with its clumps of large, upright, 12- to 18-inch hairy green leaves, and characteristic drooping clusters of bell-shaped purple flowers. officinale since it does not proliferate by seed. This popular variety is easier to manage than S.
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