Comfrey: The Plant

Comfrey plant (Symphytum officinale), a native of Europe and Asia, belongs to Boraginaceae family. Ancient Greeks and Romans were familiar with the healing properties of this herb and they used it to treat bronchial problems, for healing wounds, to mend broken bones and to stop bleeding. They had made poultices for wounds and herbal tea for internal problems. One of the common names of comfrey is 'knitbone', which indicates its healing properties. Nicholas Culpepper, a fifteenth century English herbalist had a good knowledge about its medicinal properties.

During the nineteenth century, an Essex based Quaker farmer, Henry Doubleday introduced the Russian Comfrey to Europe. He did a very wide research relating to comfrey, including its value as a food item and healing properties. The modern day varieties of this plant originated from the cultivated varieties developed by him. In 1950s, Lawrence D Hills started studying the plant and also formed an association, which later came to be known as HDRA (Henry Doubleday Research Association-Europe’s largest organic gardening association). He is credited with developing the 'Bocking 14', cultivar of Russian Comfrey.

General Description

Comfrey is a perennial plant with hairy stems and leaves, and can grow up to a height of two to five feet. The small flowers of the plant grow at the end of the stem in densely-arranged, one-sided clusters. The flowers of common comfrey can be white, creamy yellow, purple and red, but those of Quaker comfrey (hybrid of wild comfrey and Russian comfrey) are blue, purple or red-purple in color. The roots are short, thick and tuberous with a black cover and a white fleshy interior. The leaves at the base of the plant are larger with tapering ends, but those in the upper parts are mostly smaller and lack petioles, which is present in the former.

Usually, flowering starts in the month of May and extends till fall. During the growing season, new stems appear continuously and produce flowers. Normally, these plants are grown from root cuttings and crown divisions and not from seeds. Comfrey plants like wet, moist and grassy areas and are found abundantly on the river banks and ditches of British Isles.

Uses of Comfrey

According to herbalists, poultices of comfrey can be used to heal wounds and to mend broken bones. They also claim that it is useful in the treatment of bronchial problems, arthritis, gastric and varicose ulcers, severe burns, acne and other skin conditions. It is believed that comfrey plant is effective in bone and teeth building (in children), and also in many female health disorders. Comfrey plant contains steroidal saponins, tannins, vitamin B12, inulin, proteins, alkaloids and mucilage. It also contain allantoin, which can speed up the natural replacement of body cells. May be, it is the presence of this compound, that gives the healing property to the plant.

Even though many people believe in the medicinal properties of comfrey, it is said that the presence of hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids in this plant, makes it deadly. Hence, usage of this herb can lead to liver failure and death, when consumed in high doses. United States Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning against the internal usage of comfrey, in 2001. Nowadays, some herbal manufacturers have started removing pyrrolizidine alkaloids from their products, but recommends external use.

Comfrey is also used as a fertilizer, especially in organic farming. Being deep rooted, this plant has the capability to extract many nutrients from the soil. These nutrients are stored in the leaves, which is also a rich source of potassium, which is necessary for the growth of plants. These leaves does not contain fibers, which facilitate faster rotting, and break down to thick black liquid. There are many ways of using comfrey as fertilizers. It can be cut, wilted for two days and laid to 2 inch deep pits in the soil before cultivation. It can be added to the compost in limited quantity as it breaks down fast, triggering the rotting of other materials. It can also be used as a mulch for crops like tomatoes, gooseberries and currants. A 2 inch layer of comfrey leaves can be spread on the surface of the soil around the crops. It can be used as a liquid fertilizer by rotting it in rainwater to a thick black liquid called 'comfrey tea', but it should be diluted before use. Well-decayed leaf mold, can be used in potting mixture too.

Comfrey is available in the form of ointments, poultices, creams, lotions, etc., which are either made from fresh or dried leaves, or roots. Try to avoid comfrey products made for internal treatments and prefer those made from the leaves and not roots. Even though, it is said that the common comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is not poisonous like all other species, sometimes it may be toxic. Always seek the advice of an expert before using any comfrey product.