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Comfrey – purple flowering common

$8.50

A tall perennial (to 1.2m) with large, rough, hairy leaves and nodding clusters of purple-blue to creamy flowers. Very vigorous spreader by root division, and often considered invasive. More traditional medicinal use, but less preferred for garden fertility because of its tendency to self-seed.

Description

All comfreys are perennial herbs in the Boraginaceae family, preferring moist, fertile soils and sun to part-shade. In NZ, they’re hardy and often semi-evergreen. Their main uses are:

  • Medicinal: externally in poultices, salves, and ointments for bruises, sprains, and wound healing (traditionally known as “knitbone”).

  • Garden: dynamic accumulator (especially potassium), superb compost activator, mulch, and liquid feed.

  • Pollinator plant: highly attractive to bees and other beneficial insects.

Additional information

Size

Other Names

Latin Name

(Symphytum spp)