Common Comfrey
Symphytum Officinale
Overview
Symphytum officinale, known as Common Comfrey, is a hardy perennial boasting clusters of bell-shaped, purple to cream flowers. It grows to 2-5 feet tall and spreads up to 2.5 feet wide. Favored for its medicinal uses and ability to improve soil fertility, Comfrey thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers moist, well-drained soil. Handle with care due to its rough, hairy leaves and potential skin irritants.
Sun Full, HalfWater MediumZones 4–8Type Perennial

Culture
- Sun
- Full, Half
- Water
- Medium
- USDA zones
- 4–8
Shape & size
Classification
- Type
- Perennial
- Family
- Boraginaceae
See full data, regional cultivation notes, and design tools. Build a client presentation around this plant.
Start your 14-day trialPhotos (135)
























Photographs by 10 contributors
- Jacek Pietruszewski, CC BY 4.0 · source
- Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
- Arne Fahrenholz, CC BY 4.0 · source
- Michel Langeveld, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
- Flocci Nivis, CC BY 4.0 · source
- Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
- Andreas Eichler, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
- Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us · source
- Donald Davesne, CC BY 4.0 · source
- Paul van de Velde from Netherlands, CC BY 2.0 · source
Related plants

Ground cover
Blue-Eyed Mary, Creeping Forget-Me-
Omphalodes Verna
HalfUSDA 6–9

Shrub
Blueweed
Echium Vulgare
FullUSDA 9–11

Annual
Borage
Borago Officinalis
FullUSDA 3–10

Perennial
California Phacelia
Phacelia Californica
FullUSDA 9–10

Annual
Chinese Forget-Me-Not
Cynoglossum Amabile
FullUSDA 3–10

Shrub
Common Heliotrope
Heliotropium Arborescens
FullUSDA 10–11