Grow comfrey in enriched, moist soil. Root division and cuttings are the best way to start new plants.
Seeds need a 30-day period of moisture and coldness before sowing. For example, place seeds on wet paper towel or gauze and keep moist in the refrigerator at least 30 days before sowing. After sowing in soil (or pot), germination can take up to 30 days.
Some comfrey varieties are sterile and can only be propagated by root cuttings.
Try to ensure a gap of at least 1.62 feet (50.0 cm) when sowing to prevent overcrowding your seedlings.You can harvest comfrey when it is 12 to 18 inches tall. Cut leaves about two inches above the ground. The leaves can be spread in the grass to dry as opposed to heaping them in order not to spoil them. They will be dry in about two days of good weather will do. Harvesting should be finished by mid-August in order to avoid heavy dew that appears latter in summer (common in the East). If you use a wire netting screen for holding the drying leaves off the ground, then this can extend your “haying” season for the plant.2
These estimates for how long Common Comfrey takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.
Average 11 days | Min 6 days | Max 53 days (4)
Average 85 days | Min 49 days | Max 348 days (2)
Average 395 days | Min 396 days | Max 396 days (1)
Medicinal qualities: Comfrey has many healing properties to it. Briefly the roots and leaves contain allantoin. Allantoin is a protein with hormonal like qualities to it that stimulate cell proliferation. It is this allantoin that gives comfrey its’ reputation for healing wounds, broken bones, burns, sprains, sore joints, dry skin and for reducing the swelling associated with fractures.1 Fresh, clean comfrey leaves can be used in a poultice to treat these injuries.1 Comfrey salves are readily available from health food stores. It is not recommended to take comfrey internally as liver damage has been known to occur from extended ingestion.
Topical use is safe as the alkaloids will not penetrate the skin.
knitbone, bruisewort, Blackworth, Comphrey
Misspellings: Symphytum officinate
1 Plants For A Future
fn2.www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/comfrey-leaves-zmaz74zhol.aspx?PageId=3#ArticleContent