![]() ![]() Comfrey tea is said to ease bronchial and intestinal disorders but caution was advised in making this as when not in bloom the plant resembles foxglove which is a poisonous plant. The reputation of Comfrey in reducing inflammation, treating of wounds and burns is attributed to the Allantoin. ![]() Mucilage is used to create a medicine for intestinal disorders. This is is used in ointments for psoriasis and other skin problems. The root also contains an abundance of mucilage and the chemical Allantoin in about 0.6% to 0.8% concentration. An external poultice made from the leaves and a decoction or tincture made from the roots has been considered effective in reducing inflammation in the area of a sprain or fracture, allowing the body to heal - and from that ability came the derivation of the common and scientific names. Medicinal Use: Comfrey has been used for medicinal purposes for several thousand years, beginning in China and then spreading to Europe. The DNR reports its presence but they only list Lake County for a location. It is the only species of Symphytum found in Minnesota. It is a native of Eurasia, brought to North America by the early settlers from Europe. Mostly absent also in the great plains states. Comfrey is found in most of North America except the far north Canadian Provinces and the far south states of the U.S. It has not been recorded on any Garden census and is currently absent from the Garden. Notes: Comfrey has made its appearance in the Garden in the 1990s up through at least 2005 when it was mentioned in a Naturalists' report it was found in the Woodland Garden along Lady-slipper Lane in the Marsh. "Asses' Ears" refers the large soft lower leaves. All the various alternate common names have reference to the medicinal uses of the plant in old medicine. The author name for the plant classification - 'L.' is for Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), Swedish botanist and the developer of the binomial nomenclature of modern taxonomy. The species officinale usually means 'sold in shops' referring to the use of this plant in herbal medicine. ![]() From those terms you may derive the meaning of healing broken bones - one of the former herbal uses of the plant tissue. The genus Symphytum is from the two Greek words - symphyo, meaning 'make to grow together' and phyton, meaning 'plant'. Names: The common name is from the Latin conferva meaning knitting together, referring to the plants medicinal qualities. When planted it needs plenty of moisture when young, rich soils, and does best under tree shade. In the wild it has escaped from cultivation and will generally be found in disturbed sites. Habitat: Comfrey grows from large coarse spindle shaped tuberous roots that have a black outer coating and produce a stout deep taproot. Toxicity and medicinal use - parts of the plant are toxic - see notes at page bottom. Seed: Flowers that are fertile produce 4 brownish-black nutlets that are nearly smooth, angled on two sides with a concave base. There are 5 stamens which cluster together at their tops around the single style. The flowers are perfect but frequently the ovary is sterile. The five lobe tips of the corolla are very short and spreading. The color is whitish with tones of purple to pink. The entire calyx is much shorter than the corolla which is tube shaped, about 1/2 inch long with a distinct waistband where the upper section is a little more inflated. The individual flowers have stalks with spreading hairs, leading to a green hairy calyx that has 5 lance-shaped pointed lobes. These cymes are usually in pairs and the curve is said to resemble a scorpion's tail. The inflorescence is a leafless curving branched cluster (a cyme) which is terminal and can also arise from the upper leaf axils. Margins are without teeth and the veins have a distinctive net pattern. Leaves are thick and rough, fine hair on both surfaces with longer hair on the underside veins, the margins and the leaf stalks dark green surface on top, paler on the underside. The wings of the stalks continue down the stem creating the wing on the stem. Leaves decrease in size up the stem the very upper leaves may be stalkless. The lower basal leaves are broad and up to 8 inches long, ovate-lanceolate in shape with pointed tips and a base that tapers to a winged stalk. Comfrey is an introduced erect perennial herb, growing on hairy winged branching hollow stems from one to three+ feet high. ![]()
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