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Axminster gold comfrey12/6/2023 Source: UnconventionalEmma Permaculture Uses Of ComfreyĬomfrey is the star of any permaculture garden, especially the variety Bocking 14. Axminster Gold: A variegated cultivar with long green leaves with yellow margins standing 18 inches (46cms).Ĭomfrey flowers in a variety of colors, such as these purple ones.Hidcote Blue: An attractive border perennial growing to approximately 20 inches (50cm) tall and 2 feet (60cms) wide.This comfrey contains 7.09% potassium compared to 3.09% with other varieties of common comfrey. Bocking 14: An excellent variety to use as a mulch or liquid fertilizer for fruiting crops due to its high potassium content.Species of comfrey to look out for include: Cold autumn temperatures initiate winter dormancy. Cutting back the plant before it goes to flower will speed up the process of regrowth. The heavy stalks often collapse and are quickly replaced by new shoots. At full height, comfrey can reach 3 to 4 feet (90-120cms).Ĭomfrey dies back naturally after flowering. Clusters of drooping tubular bell-shaped flowers appear, ranging in color from yellow, pink, purple, and blue, depending on the species. It quickly forms a large clump with leaves 12 to 15 inches (30-35 cms) long, lanced shaped, green, and roughly textured with lots of tiny prickly hairs that can be a skin irritant.Īs late spring ebbs away and the temperatures rise towards summer, thick branching flowering stalks push up from the crown with smaller leaves. The first green shoots of comfrey emerge from your garden bed as basal growth from its crown in mid-spring. Russian comfrey leaves are larger, producing higher yields. Russian comfrey flowers are sterile therefore propagation is through cuttings and division. Common comfrey can reproduce via seed dispersal making it potentially invasive. x uplandicum is a cross between common comfrey and Symphytum asperum, the blue-flowered rough or prickly comfrey originating in Russia.Ĭommon comfrey has been cultivated since ancient Greek and Roman times when it had medicinal use primarily as a poultice to heal broken bones, bruises, and other injuries, hence the common names knitbone, knitback, and bruisewort.Īlthough similar in appearance and cultivation there are some key differences between common and Russian comfrey. There are two main species of comfrey, Symphytum officinale, also known as common comfrey and native to Europe and Asia, and Russian comfrey, Symphytum x uplandicum, a naturally occurring hybrid first discovered in Upland, Sweden in the 1800s. Slugs, snails, powdery mildew, comfrey rustĬomfrey is a hardy herbaceous perennial and a member of the borage family, Boraginaceae, which includes Borage, Forget-me-nots, Echium, Brunnera, and Cerinthe. Prefers moist soils but is also drought tolerant Symphytum officinale, Symphytum x uplandicum Source: London Permaculture Common NameĬomfrey, Knitbone, Bruisewort, Knitback, Church bells, Russian Quick Care Guide The comfrey plant is a garden powerhouse worth growing. Good Products At Amazon For Growing Comfrey Plant: Comfrey foliage is rich in potassium and trace minerals, magnesium, and calcium, perfect for tomatoes, peppers, and pumpkins.Īnd so, the cycle begins for at least another two harvests. Protect it from slugs and snails, especially in early spring.Within a few weeks new leaves have sprouted, 12-15 inches long, and are ready for harvesting to feed the now hungry vegetable and fruit crops. If you’re growing this perennial primarily for its foliage, you may prefer to trim off the flowering spikes. It can become difficult to remove once established, as any small piece of root left behind will spout a new plant. Comfrey thrives in fertile, moisture-retentive soil and will quickly grow by rhizomes. So far this perennial hasn’t appealed to any of them. Rabbits ate my golden Japanese forest grass ( Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’) down to the ground, deer decimated my coral bells, and snails turned my hostas to lace. I needed a strong splash of yellow for a shady spot in my garden. To thwart pesky wildlife: My resident deer and rabbits have no appreciation for artistic garden design. This brightly colored perennial would look perfectly at home in such an informal design. Woodland gardens: Allow it to naturalize in the dappled woodland shade, where it will add a bright note amid ferns, coral bells ( Heuchera) and bleeding heart ( Dicentra spectabilis).Ĭottage gardens: Traditional English cottage gardens include a seamless melding of ornamental flowers and edible herbs and vegetables. The bold leaves provide contrast with the delicate grasses, while the yellow variegation wakes up the otherwise muted tones. Mixed borders: The photograph here shows how beautifully Axminster Gold comfrey can be incorporated into a garden border.
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