Comfrey is the perennial cousin of borage and their pink and blue blooms attract just as many pollinators. This fast-growing herb has multiple utilities. Learn how to grow comfrey below.
Latin
Symphytum Officinale
Family: Boraginaceae
Difficulty Season & Zone Starting Growing Harvest Seed Info
Easy
Season: All seasons (perennial)
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Timing
Direct sow in container or its permanent spot in mid-spring, about 3 weeks before average last frost. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 21°C (70°F). Seeds should sprout in 14-21 days.
Sow seeds 1cm (½”) deep and keep moist until seeds germinate. If growing directly in the soil, thin to 60-120cm (24-48″) apart. Plants will grow large and fill in the space.
Comfrey is an un-fussy perennial. They reseed readily and root remnants can become new plants. Cutting back leaves regularly can help keep plants in check and remove flowerheads regularly to prevent self-sowing.
Cut the leaves once plants for 60cm (2') tall for use as fresh mulch or fertilizer tea, or as a bioactivator for compost.
Usual seed life: 3 years.