Comfrey
Symphytum officinale · Boraginaceae
| Type | herb (companion layer) |
|---|---|
| Mature size | 3 ft tall × 3 ft wide |
| Sun | PS, FS (part shade to full sun) |
| Water | M (moderate) |
| Deer resistance | high |
| Drought tolerance | low |
| Hardiness | 3-9 |
| Maintenance | low |
| Edible | yes |
| Nitrogen fixing | no |
| Bloom | May, Jun, Jul, Aug |
| Harvest | — |
| Expected yield | 0 lb/yr |
| Source | TreeYo ($6) |
Planning price
$6.00 per plant listed
treeyo · Comfrey
Also on the CPI 2026 list (Large Leaf and Seedless). Support plant for the food forest.
Design notes
The classic permaculture support plant - a biomass and mineral accumulator. Deer resistant, thrives in shade. Spreads by seed, so cut the flowers.
Historic uses
'Knitbone' used for centuries for sprains, bruises and broken bones; a classic compost activator.
Scoring
| Ornamental | 3/10 |
|---|---|
| Disease resistance | 6/10 |
| Sweetness of harvest | 0/10 |
| Complexity of care | 0/10 |
| Medicinal value | 7/10 |
Shared plant library
These records are stored once at /home/chris/.gardenway/plant-library.json and
reused by every design and project on this machine, so the same species does not have
to be researched again.
Where this is used
| Draft | Zone | Qty | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft 1 - Balanced Food Forest | C | 2 | Comfrey for the fruit tree guild, cut for the compost. |
| Draft 1 - Balanced Food Forest | E | 2 | Comfrey in the shade guild. |
| Draft 1 - Balanced Food Forest | F | 3 | Comfrey as a chop-and-drop mulch source. |
| Draft 2 - Deer-Proof Berries and Kitchen Herbs | C | 2 | Comfrey leaf for the compost and for the fig guild. |
| Draft 2 - Deer-Proof Berries and Kitchen Herbs | F | 4 | Comfrey mulch block. |