Practical
Plants

Symphytum uplandicum

Comfrey

a perennial member of the Symphytum genus in the family Boraginaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
1.2 m
Spread
0.6 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

This plant contains small quantities of a toxic alkaloid which can have a cumulative effect upon the liver. Largest concentrations are found in the roots, leaves contain higher quantities of the alkaloid as they grow older and young leaves contain almost none. Most people would have to consume very large quantities of the plant in order to do any harm, though anyone with liver problems should obviously be more cautious. In general, the health-promoting properties of the plant probably far outweigh any possible disbenefits, especially if only the younger leaves are used.

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young leaves - cooked or raw[6][14][16][18][15][17]. The leaf is hairy and the texture is mucilaginous. It may be full of minerals but it is not pleasant eating for most tastes. It can be chopped up finely and added to salads, in this way the hairiness is not so obvious[4]. Young shoots can be used as an asparagus substitute[15]. The blanched stalks are used[4]. Older leaves can be dried and used as a tea[13]. The peeled roots are cut up and added to soups[4]. A tea is made from the dried leaves and roots[4]. The roasted roots are used with dandelion and chicory roots for making coffee[4].

Plant part
Leaves
Product or use
Tea

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Comfrey is a commonly used herbal medicine with a long and proven history in the treatment of various complaints. The root and the leaves are used, the root being more active, and they can be taken internally or used externally as a poultice[14][10]. Comfrey is especially useful in the external treatment of cuts, bruises, sprains, sores, eczema, varicose veins, broken bones etc, internally it is used in the treatment of a wide range of pulmonary complaints, internal bleeding etc[4, 238, K]. The plant contains a substance called 'allantoin', a cell proliferant that speeds up the healing process[14][9][13][3][10][12]. This substance is now synthesized in the pharmaceutical industry and used in healing creams[12]. The root and leaves are anodyne, astringent (mild), demulcent, emollient, expectorant, haemostatic, refrigerant, vulnerary[14][9][13][3][10]. Some caution is advised, however, especially in the internal use of the herb. External applications and internally taken teas or tinctures of the leaves are considered to be completely safe, but internal applications of tablets or capsules are felt to have too many drawbacks for safe usage[12]. See also the notes above on toxicity. The leaves are harvested in early summer before the plant flowers, the roots are harvested in the autumn. Both are dried for later use[12]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh root, harvested before the plant flowers[11]. This has a very limited range of application, but is of great benefit in the treatment of broken bones and eye injuries[11].

Product or use
Anodyne
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Demulcent
Product or use
Emollient
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Haemostatic
Product or use
Refrigerant
Product or use
Vulnerary

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant grows very quickly, producing a lot of bulk. It is tolerant of being cut several times a year and can be used to provide 'instant compost' for crops such as potatoes. Simply layer the wilted leaves at the bottom of the potato trench or apply them as a mulch in no-dig gardens. A liquid feed can be obtained by soaking the leaves in a small amount of water for a week, excellent for potassium demanding crops such as tomatoes. The leaves are also a very valuable addition to the compost heap[13][7]. A gum obtained from the roots was at one time used in the treatment of wool before it was spun[2]. Plants can be grown as a ground cover when planted about 1.2 metres apart each way[8].

Product or use
Biomass
Product or use
Compost
Product or use
Gum

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Ground cover

Environment

Range
A hybrid of garden origin, S. asperum x S. officinale[7].
Habitat
Not known in a truly wild situation.
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring or autumn in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. This is a hybrid species that does not usually produce seed. If you have sufficient seed you can try an outdoor sowing in situ in the spring. Division succeeds at almost any time of the year. Simply use a spade to chop off the top 7cm of root just below the soil level. The original root will regrow and you will have a number of root tops, each of which will make a new plant. These can either be potted up or planted out straight into their permanent positions.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Tolerates most soils and situations but prefers a moist soil and some shade[1][14]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Best grown in an open sunny site in a deep rich soil if it is being grown for compost material[7]. Hardy to about -20°c[5]. A naturally occurring hybrid species (S. asperum x S. officinale), it does not set viable seed and so is not aggressive. The root system is very deep, fragments of root left in the soil can produce new plants. A number of named forms have been selected for their higher production of leaves[4]. Subject to attacks by the rust fungus, this can be alleviated by giving the plants a high potash feed, wood ashes are often used[13].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969-00-00 ISBN 0192176218

    ↩

  3. Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.

    ↩1↩2

  4. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  5. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩

  6. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  7. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-460-12609-1

    ↩

  9. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩1↩2

  10. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2↩3

  11. Castro. M. The Complete Homeopathy Handbook. Macmillan. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-333-55581-3

    ↩1↩2

  12. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  13. Hills. L. Comfrey Report. Henry Doubleday Research Ass.

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  14. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  15. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  16. Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219060-5

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  17. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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  18. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

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