Symphytum officinalis

is the characteristic species of the genus Symphytum, from the Greek Symphue meaning "I unite, I weld". Family name: Borraginaceae; comes from Borage, the reference species of the family. It is presented in the form of a large dense tuft of rough oval leaves covered with pilosity. Flowers in bell, the comfrey is wild sometimes cultivated, the comfrey of "Russia" (Bocking 14) is essentially cultivated, this last being much more productive. Propagation is by cuttings and root shards, sowing is more random.

Big needs for nitrogen and organic matter, cool deep soil with roots going down more than 40 cm deep. Beware of invasive plants! This plant is useful in many areas, incorporated into compost it accelerates the process, in fresh mulch it is excellent for trapping slugs. Rich in active principles: the Allantoin, which promotes the multiplication of cells, but it is in extract that the Comfrey expresses all these benefits.

Comfrey in the Garden

Pure Comfrey juice, richer in mineral salts and trace elements than "purin", in addition to being a first-rate antiseptic, is excellent healing one will use on pruning wounds on fruit trees. In pralinage, in addition to nettle manure, it will provide trace elements and will be an effective disinfectant.

In infusion it allows to fight against the white flies and the aphids.

 Comfrey Bocking 14:

Cet hybride, croisement de Symphitum x Uplandicum, a été développé par la H.D.R.A (Henry Doubleday Research Association) en la personne de Lawrence D.Hills dans la station anglaise de Bocking dans l 'Essex. L' hybride n°14 est particulièrement bien adapté pour la permaculture.

It allows for the free recovery of valuable nutrients in the soil, as these roots function like a pump. It is especially at the level of potash that this one proves to be the most effective, the Bocking 14 by fixing more than twice as much as the comfrey, faculty all the more interesting as there are only few organic potassium fertilizers.  On the other hand, comfrey has the particularity of giving its leaves a particularly bitter taste, making it unsuitable for livestock. For a forage use it will be necessary to prefer Bocking n°4 much better adapted to this function.  

Compared to its sister, the comfrey, the Russian comfrey or Bocking 14 has the advantage of not knowing diseases and having a much higher yield, in its disadvantage it has a cost for its establishment: purchase of plants.