Know Your Herbs: Comfrey

Comfrey is a healer. Also known as “bone stitch” Comfrey is widely known as one of nature’s greatest medicinal herbs because of its legendary ability to knit broken things back together. The name Comfrey indicates one of the therapeutic uses, con firma referring to the uniting of bones. It contains allantoin, a chemical that promotes cellular repair. It is also rich in vitamins and minerals. It contains vitamins B1, pantothenic acid, B2, C, E , iron, manganese, calcium, and phosphorus.

Comfrey grows well all over the world. It has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for over 2000 years. Comfrey prefers rich fertile soil. It grows best in s shady environment but not in an area where it must compete with the roots of trees. The plant can be started from seeds or from live root cuttings. If you have a friend who is growing comfrey they will probably be happy to give you some live root cuttings as the plant propagates really well. Another source of live root cuttings online is http://www.strictlymedicinalseeds.com.

You can use the entire plant to make a poultice to repair both internal and external injuries. Add a handful of leaves, stem, roots and the flower to a blender with a small amount of water. Add 2 tablespoons of whole flaxseeds. Blend to make a very thick smoothie. Pour into a nut milk bag and squeeze out excess water. Place the poultice on affected area and tape it down. Wear this 24/7. Make a new poultice and replace every four to eight hours or as often as you can.

By Brian Hetrich, Greenhouse Manager at Hippocrates Wellness