-
CATEGORY ::
- All Seeds /
- All Herb Seeds
Comfrey Seeds
About...
Comfrey (Symphytum Officinale) - Comfrey has been used as a healing herb for centuries. The comfrey herb is native to Asia and Europe, but early English immigrants brought it to North America for medicinal purposes.MORE HERB OPTIONS
Herb Specifications
SEASON
Perennial
USDA ZONES
4 - 9
HEIGHT
60 inches
BLOOM SEASON
Late spring through summer
BLOOM COLOR
Purple
ENVIRONMENT
Full sun to partial shade
SOIL TYPE
Rich organic soil, pH 6.0 - 7.0
DEER RESISTANT
Yes
LATIN NAME
Symphytum Officinale
Planting Directions
TEMPERATURE
60 - 70F
AVERAGE GERM TIME
If germination does not occur after 14 - 21 days a cooling period of 2 - 4 weeks is recommended
LIGHT REQUIRED
Yes
DEPTH
1/8 - 1/4 inch deep
SOWING RATE
1 - 2 seeds per plant
MOISTURE
Keep seeds moist until germination occurs
PLANT SPACING
36 inches
Comfrey (Symphytum Officinale) - Comfrey has been used as a healing herb for centuries. The comfrey herb is native to Asia and Europe, but early English immigrants brought it to North America for medicinal purposes. Common Comfrey, Latin name: Symphytum officinale, grows to be approximately 60 inches tall. It has slender lance-shaped leaves and produces bell-shaped purple flowers that bloom from May to September. Comfrey, even when grown from Comfrey seed, has a deep root system with thick dark-colored roots. Comfrey may have violet, pink or creamy yellow flowers.
Comfrey contains chemicals that speed up wound healing. It has astringent, antifungal and antibacterial properties. Comfrey also contains a wide variety of healthy chemicals and nutrients. It has been recently learned that it can be a carcinogenic when taken internally, but it is still used as a topical treatment for skin irritations, cuts, sprains and swelling.
The form and size of the Comfrey herb might have you thinking it is a shrub, but it will die back to the ground in the winter and it does not get woody. Comfrey has a deep tap root, so it is extremely drought tolerant and a useful clay busting plant. It is also useful as a slug and snail repellent.
Leaves can be harvested and dried at any time. If you are growing it to harvest the leaves, you can make your first cutting when the plants are about 2 feet tall. Cut back to within a few inches of the crow. If you begin harvesting early, you won't get flowers. Leaves, flowers and roots have all been used in traditional medicine, but use extreme caution if you don't know what you're doing. Comfrey should never be taken orally and even a topical application can cause problems.
Grows quickly
Comfrey plants grow up fast early in the season, reaching a height of about 3 or even 5 feet. The lower leaves are large, the plant features hanging bells of flowers at the top of the plant.
Comfrey | herb seed
How to grow
Planting Comfrey from Seeds: As with all rapid growers, comfrey needs a lot of nitrogen. Comfrey gets all its nitrogen from the soil, so some regular fertilization is essential. It does best with good soil moisture until establishment.
When planted in the right place, it will pretty much take care of itself. Once the comfrey plant is mature and established, it should not require excessive amounts of water and may not need to be watered at all!
- * Requires cold treatment*
- Step 1: Sow seed in a moisten soil-less growing medium like peat moss
- Step 2: enclose in plastic bag or small container then place in refrigerator for a 20-60 days.
- Step 3: Place in a warm area for germination, providing soil temperatures of 68-80 degrees F
Grow your own herbs
Comfrey is a beautiful addition to any border and is great for grabbing attention to the back of a border. Comfrey's tall height makes it a perfect candidate to grow around trees in an orchard. As a nutrient accumulator, comfrey mines the subsoil for nutrients (potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and more).
- Perfect for permacultures
- Attracts pollinators
- Provides habitat for beneficial insects
- Fertilizes with nutrient-rich mulch
Comfrey: Permaculture Hero
Excellent bioactivator: Adding comfrey cuttings to a compost bin is an easy way to balance out the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and jumpstart decomposition. The finished compost will have a higher nutrient content with the addition of comfrey
Conditions soil: Comfrey’s deep roots (up to 6 feet deep!) break up tough clay and create channels for aeration and better water absorption. If you have an area with compacted soil where you plan to grow perennials in the future, plant the area with comfrey to break up and loosen the soil in preparation.
Mulch with comfrey: Helps retain moisture and protect beneficial soil organisms. Comfrey mulch decomposes quickly, which activates soil microbes. This will protect your soil and help prevent erosion.
Flower Specifications
SEASON
Perennial
USDA ZONES
5 - 8
HEIGHT
24 - 36 inches
BLOOM SEASON
Late spring through summer
BLOOM COLOR
Mix
ENVIRONMENT
Full sun
SOIL TYPE
Well-drained, pH 5.8 - 6.8
DEER RESISTANT
Yes
LATIN NAME
Verbascum Phoenicium
Planting Directions
TEMPERATURE
68F
AVERAGE GERM TIME
14 - 21 days
LIGHT REQUIRED
Yes
DEPTH
Do not cover the seed but press into the soil
SOWING RATE
8 seeds per plant
MOISTURE
Keep seeds moist until germination
PLANT SPACING
18 - 24 inches
CARE & MAINTENANCE
Verbascum (Verbascum Phoenicium Hybrids Mix) - This free flowering mix grown from Verbascum seeds will give your garden weeks of lovely colors. Commonly called Purple Mullein, this plant has dark green, crinkly leaves and beautiful spikes of papery-thin, round 5 - petaled blooms in shades of white, rose, and violet. The Purple Mullein plant starts blooming from the bottom of the spike and proceeds upward, opening one by one. Mullein flowers look lovely in a mixed border, and they can bloom from late spring up until the first frost. It is both deer and rabbit resistant, and butterflies love it! Verbascum flowers are excellent for cutting as well. Also considered to be a medicinal herb, the Mullein herb has diuretic, analgesic, expectorant, and antiseptic properties.
How To Grow Mullein From Seed: Plant Mullein seeds indoors 6 - 8 weeks before last frost date. Lightly press the Verbascum flower seeds into the soil, but do not cover with soil since the seeds need light to germinate. Keep constantly moist, not wet, and the herb seeds will germinate in 14 - 21 days. For outdoor sowing, wait until frost danger has passed, and sow Purple Mullein seeds directly into prepared seed bed. Spacing should be about 18 - 24 inches apart. Verbascum Mullein will bloom the first year if the flower seeds are sown early enough in the season. Flowers can be left on to self-seed or can be deadheaded to encourage more blooming.