There are many subspecies, such as white comfrey ( Symphytum orientale), common comfrey ( Symphytum officinale) and Bocking 14 or Russian comfrey ( Symphytum x uplandicum).
Here are the most important species and varieties: Only bee species with long proboscises can reach comfrey’s nectar Species and varietiesĬomfrey can be divided into several species that are used either as medicinal plants, fodder plants or ornamental plants. Comfrey mainly reproduces via runners of its rhizomes. However, most of the flowers are sterile and rarely form seeds. Only bees with long proboscises can drink the nectar from the flowers, which is why bumblebees ( Bombus sp.) and other large wild bees are the most common visitors. The flowers, which hang down in double coils, resemble small bells and are purple, yellow or white.ĭepending on the variety and location, comfrey flowers from May to October. Such features are typical for members of the borage family like forget-me-nots ( Myosotis), lacy phacelia ( Phacelia tanacetifolia) and viper’s bugloss ( Echium vulgare). The stiff stem and large deciduous leaves are rough and covered in bristly hairs. Its roots reach down to a depth of 1.80 metres, and, above ground, it grows to a height of about 30 to 60 centimetres.
It is an herbaceous perennial plant that dies back in winter, but the roots remain, and it sprouts again in spring. Common comfrey ( Symphytum officinale) can be found from Spain to China. The genus Comfrey ( Symphytum) is made up of about 40 species native to Eurasia and North Africa and belongs to the Boraginaceae family. In a suitable habitat, the plant can live for up to 20 years. White Comfrey is a non-native plant used as a garden plant and which is well established in the wild, being found on hedge-banks and riversides.Comfrey is a native perennial and medicinal plant. Some similarities to : the blue or purple flowered (other-times red) Lungworts such as Lungwort ( Pulmonaria officinalis, which has spotted leaves), Narrow-Leaved Lungwort ( Pulmonaria which has long and narrow leaves that are spotted)), Mawson's Lungwort ( Pulmonaria 'Mawson's Blue'', which has deep-blue flowers and narrow but un-spotted leaves,) and the very rare Suffolk Lungwort ( Pulmonaria obscura, which has broad and dark-green leaves with pink or purple flowers). Crimean Comfrey ( Symphytum tauricum) but that has pale-yellow flowers (but still sometimes-stalked stem leaves which never run down the stem).īut none of those Comfreys are pure white! They are all coloured, either red, blue, purple, yellow or off-white cream.Creeping Comfrey ( Symphytum grandiflorum) but that is shorter (20cm) and has flowers which are reddish-pink at first, turning yellowish-cream later and also much longer sepal teeth and is also the first Comfrey to flower, flowering even before the already early White Comfrey.Rough Comfrey ( Symphytum asperum) but that has upper stem leaves which are shortly stalked (but still never running down the stem).Russian Comfrey ( Symphytum × uplandicum) but that has bright blue or purple flowers (and upper stem leaves that only slightly run down the stem).Tuberous Comfrey ( Symphytum tuberosum) but which has pale yellowish-cream flowers, pointed and very long sepal teeth, upper leaves which run a short way down the stem and which flowers up to two months later than White Comfrey.Ĭan be mistaken for : many other differing Comfreys, in particular those whose leaves never or only slightly run down the main stem:.It flowers a month later that White Comfrey. Common Comfrey ( Symphytum officinale) but that has not got pure white flowers, but rather either yellowish-cream or dull purple flowers, much longer sepal teeth at least equal in length to the sepal tube and with the upper-stem leaves running down to the next leaf junction, and the stems are not nearly round but rather winged.Leaves mid-green, wrinkly and with deep net-veins. Leaves join the stem without ever running down the stem.įlowers fading or having dropped off turning to fruit. Leaf-stems (where present) are more rounded than on other Comfreys. Stem leaves are more rounded than are other Comfreys. WHITE COMFREY Symphytum orientale Borage Family ħth May 2014, an allotment, Ipswich, Suffolk. Comfrey (White) / White Comfrey - Wild Flower Finder
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