Comfrey- a Must Have Herb.

Comfrey has a wonderful reputation for its medicinal qualities but no garden should be without at least one plant, for its beneficial use in the compost heap. I have a few plants scattered around each compost heap for that exact reason.

Comfrey - Symphytum Officinale

Comfrey Plant

The Comfrey is a perennial hairy leafed plant that has bell-shaped pink & purplish-violet flowers that droop in bell-like clusters. It is a thick set, bushy plant,  that grows to 1.2 metres. The outside leaves can measure 60cm long & 20cms wide. It is native to central Europe, where it grows on river flats and likes every kind of manure. It likes light, fertile, moist soils & will grow in any location but full shade.

The leaves are collected in early Spring, washed, chopped up & dried in a slow oven. Roots are collected in Spring or late in Autumn. The skin is removed & the root chopped when dried.

Comfrey Flower

USES
Comfrey probably has the widest range of uses in a permaculture system of any plant.

• The leaves are a useful addition to compost or used as mulch,  as they contain silica, nitrogen, magnesium, calcium, potassium and iron. Comfrey is lush and fast-growing in the right conditions and can provide abundant supplies of mulch. When planted in the orchard, it can be slashed to provide mulch under fruit trees. Comfrey leaves, measured as dry matter, are about 15 to 30% protein which is as high as most legumes. The leaves readily decompose when soaked in water to make a liquid manure.
• The whole plant is an excellent soil conditioner, the roots penetrate deep into the subsoil and are able to access nutrients beyond the reach of more shallow-rooted plants. This allows the gardener to cycle nutrients leached from the topsoil back to the surface by cutting comfrey leaves and using them as mulch. This deep nutrient mining is particularly useful for the health of soils in heavy rainfall areas. The large, deep roots of comfrey act to break up compacted soils. Plant comfrey downhill from poultry runs or animal pens to trap the nutrients that would otherwise be washed away in heavy rain.
• Weed barrier; one of its more unusual attributes is its ability to stop running grasses in their tracks. When comfrey is planted as a 'weed barrier', it should be in a strip several plants wide.
• Animal forage; the flowers are an excellent bee forage, the leaves are high in protein, vitamins and minerals and are readily eaten by poultry. Comfrey has been used as an animal forage for centuries and can be fed to cattle, rabbits, sheep, pigs and horses.
• A tea from the root (30g to 1 litre of water) left standing for 6-8 hours, is used as an antiinflammatory, excellent for ulcers of the digestive tract & against diarrhoea.
• Externally, it is great for the healing of fractures & stems bleeding.
• The powdered root is used on cotton wool to stop nose bleeds.

PLANTING DETAILS
Recommended Planting Time: Plant in cool areas in spring, in warmer or more tropical areas plant in the wet season. 


Comfrey is decorative enough to be a herbaceous border but demands plenty of space. It is also very attractive to caterpillars, snails & slugs.

Comfrey can be propagated by root cuttings or crown division. Root cuttings are the most economical, cut pieces of root 3 cm long and lay horizontally in a prepared garden site or a styrofoam box filled with potting mix. The cuttings should be buried 3 cm deep. Keep moist until the first leaves appear.
Spacing: If a row of comfrey is required, space the plants at 50 cm apart.
Growing Details: Try to plant comfrey in the right position the first time as any root disturbance will create new plants. If it has to be removed, simply cover the clump with several layers of wet newspaper and then top with mulch. The comfrey will rot out, leaving a rich, black compost.

Cosmetic:
Comfrey cream, or ointment is soothing & healing for the skin, & great for a night cream for wrinkles under the eyes. Comfrey tea helps cleanse the blood & clear complexion.

Companion Planting:
Comfrey is closely related to Borage, & is helpful in much the same way if a few plants are grown near strawberry beds to improve the size & flavour. Comfrey leaves should be added to the compost heap, as a compost activator. A liquid fertiliser made from large, old comfrey leaves which have been left to rot in water - & then broken down with more water & applied to the roots of plants, is very beneficial.

Culinary:
Comfrey is wholesome as a food. Pluck the small young leaves & add to a salad, as they taste like cucumber. Steam the leaves & eat them like spinach, or add to the juicer.

Comfrey Fritters:
Comfrey Leaves
batter
Strip comfrey leaves from the plant. Dip them in cold water, then into batter. Fry to make unusual but delicious fritters.


Happy Grubbing
Tamara