Does anyone have a trusted source for buying Comfrey roots? I've googled them a bit, and find mostly old info - and confusing info about species and hybrid 14 varieties. All advice is welcome!



Thanks.

Jill send me a Tree mail with your address and I will send some your way . I am moving a large clump out of the herb bed and there is plenty small off-shoots to send a couple. I have the purple flowered type that does not seed around (or at least for me)

Symphytum officinale

Would comfrey grow in Phoenix?

Cinda, how's your new "comfrey patch" coming along? I got a couple of plants from a friend in spring, and wow have they taken off.

Jackie, I think it might depend on whether it got watered regularly... my plants have large, fleshy, fuzzy leaves, not like the more drought tolerant thyme & oregano... but it gets watered with my veggies, and we have really high summer humidity, so I'm not sure how it would do in more dry conditions.

Who is growing comfrey, and where?

Anybody making "comfrey tea" for their plants?

Growing Cinda's comfrey here. It gets huge, then I shear it back and add it to my compost. It's sending up nice new stalks now...even in this wretched drought.

A couple years ago I bought some 'Bocking 14' from Horizon Herbs, and I'm growing it in many places on our property here. I have found that it doesn't mind the heat at all, but it resents the late afternoon sun. The ones that get shade afternoon are doing the best.

Gardengus - Cinda - sent me a couple of starts this spring and they are growing well, even in spite of our lack of rain this year. It's been very hot very early - and no rain for 8 to 10 weeks now. I watered my new little plants every day for 10 days as per instructions, and have severely neglected them since - only watering every week or so a I remember - and they are doing well. I hope to learn a lot about comfrey as they grow and mature. :smily:

I'm located in the northwest part of Missouri - used to be zone 5b. Dunno for sure what it is now with the new maps.

I'd say that's encouraging for its chances in Phoenix, then!

I've got a plant that has survived the drought for a few years with some watering.

My comfrey is doing very good despite the heat and drought, can't say I have noticed any difference.
I just cut mine back the 1st of July and it is up 18''+ with no water or rain.

I did not make any compost tea this year , but I did use the leaves in the base of some new raised beds.

I also use the leaves as a mulch around fresh transplants, looks kinda like a fuzzy green blanket .

Very old thread, but, why start a new one, I figured

I started making comfrey tea, boy does that smell bad.. and was looking for analysis of NPK, I found this
https://www.gardenmyths.com/co...

Interesting article
I personally think it is worth having IF you have the space .
Originally I grew it for the goats , realized the bees love the flowers, it is easy to grow here , and I have found many uses for it in my garden .

I had put a small division on the edge of a flowerbed last... spring? fall? This spring it was pretty in bloom. Of course, it will get huge if I leave it there.
Chickens nibble on it some.