Are comfrey plants illegal?
The pyrrolizidine alkaloids in comfrey can cause severe liver damage, liver cancer, mutagenicity, and even death. [8,9] For this reason, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned the sale of oral comfrey products in the United States.
Is the comfrey plant poisonous?
Comfrey has toxic substances that can cause severe liver damage and even death. The toxic substances in comfrey can be absorbed by the skin. Even creams and ointments should be used for only a short time, and only under a doctor’s supervision. DO NOT use comfrey on open wounds or broken skin.
What plants is comfrey good for?
Comfrey compost tea can help overall growth, and encourage better flowering as well as more vigorous growth in perennials and mature fruiting vegetable plants (i.e., tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, cucumbers). Do not use comfrey compost tea on young plants.
Is comfrey poisonous?
Where does comfrey grow in the garden?
Comfrey can grow in full sun to partial shade, meaning it needs at least three hours of direct sunlight on most days. In the warmer parts of its growing zones, plant it where it will get shade from the strong afternoon sun.
How do you use comfrey in the garden?
Use as a mulch. Chop up comfrey leaves with grass cuttings, and place a 5cm layer on the surface of the soil around all plants. This will slowly rot down to provide nutrients, and act as a mulch to keep in moisture and help control weeds. Add fresh cut leaves to your leaf mould heap.
Does comfrey grow in winter?
Comfrey is hardy both to the extremely cold and hot temperatures within its growing zones. It will die back in the late fall once frost and freezing temperatures have arrived. But the roots will remain, and the plant will come up again in the spring.
How to grow and care for comfrey?
Direct Sowing Comfrey Seeds. It is possible to direct sow comfrey seeds,however,they may need up to two years to germinate.
How to grow comfrey?
Choose your site carefully – comfrey can live for 20 or more years.
How to harvest comfrey?
Harvesting Comfrey. Make sure you wear gloves and even long sleeves when harvesting comfrey because the plants can be a bit prickly, and may cause irritation. Otherwise, it is very easy to harvest. You can use garden shears to cut the plants close to the ground in late June or July and then again in August.
What does comfrey taste like?
They start pink and turn a true blue, hanging in downward facing clusters. Even the fuzzy white buds are attractive. Both the flowers and the leaves are edible, with a cucumber-like flavor.