Comfrey?

[lesa]

Cat, I am surprised to hear that yours became invasive... very interesting. I have one plant that I put under an apple tree. In the old days, all the orchard planted comfrey under their trees. It has the quality of pulling nutrients to the surface, which benefits the trees. Other than the plant getting larger, I haven't noticed it spreading at all. I was thinking I would like to have it under all my fruit trees- maybe I can divide it?

 

[buckabucka]

Maybe there are different varieties, but my experience was very much like Cat's.
We knew nothing about comfrey. A neighbor presented in to us, "welcome to the neighborhood" (accompanied by sly smirk). We put it right in the garden. Big mistake! I was digging out roots that were three feet down. That neighbor has moved away, and I can't say I miss her terribly...

 

[lesa]

Oh, Buckabucka! I have snow on the mountain and several other awful invasive plants-that were gifted to me! When I first started gardening, if it was alive, I would plant it! Live and learn!

 

[thistlebloom]

After a little noodling around I came up with this: There are two main varieties of comfrey.
1. Symphytum officinale, this one reseeds and is probably the one that everybody curses.

2. Symphytum uplandica, this one has sterile flowers and is propagated by root division. There is one strain named "Bocking 14" that seems to be popular.

I remember @Kassaundra mentioning some time ago that she was planting the Bocking 14 comfrey. Maybe she can let us know of her experience with it.

 

[catjac1975]

Wood chucks love it if they cannot get into your garden. Chickens eat it. Horse, you have to chop it small, and hide it in their feed. It is supposed to be the best medicinal plant on earth.

 

[Lavender2]

More info on the types of Russian comfrey -

"Because the Bocking #4 is so deep rooted, it will thrive in drought where most other plants are helpless. We do not sell the Bocking #14 strain of Comfrey as “it is shallow rooted and subject to drought,” and “it is disliked by rabbits and chickens — as being too bitter” according to Lawrence D. Hills, the world’s foremost expert on Comfrey". ... LINK

Three types of comfrey - Nantahala Farm

Interesting ban on products in Canada - two species of Symphytum are banned, S. asperum and S. x uplandicum; (Is this then okay to feed to animals )

Many years ago, common comfrey was touted for attracting bees and butterflies in the herb garden. Now I see most seed companies don't sell it anymore - good!, but I should have checked out ALL the details before I let that nice little seedling grow, many years ago ....

 

[thistlebloom]

Good info Lavender, that makes it a little clearer to me.

 

[catjac1975]

Mine reseeds, spreads, grows bigger every year, and of course grows like earthworms. We took our every plant last spring and had a hundred or more come back. GGGGGGRRRRRRR!!! If you plant it make sure it is the variety that is easy to control. I don't know which one it is. If there is a nuclear war what ever is left will be eating comfrey.

 

[buckabucka]

 

[Just-Moxie]

Catjac-send some of those seeds over here!!!