The roots range to depths of 8 to 10 feet, bringing up nutrients from the mineral-rich subsoil, breaking up heavy clay and aerating the land with their channels. You can also condition your soil with comfrey - it’s one of the best plants for this. When time and supply allow selectivity, however, it’s good to know about the special properties of each variety.) 4 and 14 and we’ve used the two interchangeably. (Our planting is a mixture of Bocking No. For best results, scatter comfrey cuttings throughout the compost heap. 14 - a narrow-leaved, fine-stemmed type with very high protein and potash content - is especially good for kicking the decomposition action into high gear. Town dwellers who must buy manure for their compost piles could save money by keeping a few comfrey plants. If you grow comfrey, you can make your own herbal medicine. Comfrey is often confused with deadly foxglove and can lead to accidental and fatal poisonings, according to A Field Guide to Venomous Animals and Poisonous Plants by Steven Foster and Roger Caras. If you wish to use comfrey for topical applications to aid the healing of bruises and rashes, be certain that you can positively identify the plant. After all, that too counts in the healing process. something you can actually do for a person. Poulticing is a warm, comforting treatment, and making one is a caring act. The moist warmth enhances the healing effect of the allantoin. Apply the pad to the affected part–comfortably hot, but not scalding–and cover the area with a thick folded towel to keep the heat in. To make such a dressing, let the leaves mush up in hot water, squeeze out the excess liquid and wrap several handfuls of the hot, softened foliage in a clean cloth. The most common medicinal use of comfrey are in poultices to help heal swellings, inflammations and sores. ( Please Note: Comfrey is toxic to the liver for both humans and livestock and should not be taken orally or used on open wounds. (Scratch and heal in one operation!) Comfrey should not be applied to open wounds or broken skin. Crushed foliage can be applied externally, or a raw leaf rubbed on skin lesions such as rashes and poison ivy blisters. Generally we use an infusion (strong tea) of fresh or dried leaves, either to soak a part such as a sore finger or to dab on the skin with cotton. Levy’s advice and treat both people and animal hurts with comfrey. (Funny how pinning a name on the curative property makes it possible for us to acknowledge it!) Here on our acre, we follow Mrs. The effectiveness of this valuable plant can now be accounted for and is therefore more widely accepted. which is what the healing process is all about. Comfrey contains allantoin, a substance known to aid granulation and cell formation. Medicinal Comfrey Plant UsesĬomfrey has long been used as a cure by the Romani and other healers, and has an ancient reputation as a mender of broken bones. Then pack the foliage into jars and close the containers tightly. Make sure the leaves are crumbly before you store them, though, since any remaining dampness will cause mold. The plant reaches a height of over two feet and spreads to more than a yard across, but - since comfrey doesn’t throw out creeping roots and hardly ever sets seed - it’s remarkably non-invasive for such a sturdy being.Ĭomfrey leaves have a high moisture content and dry more slowly than some of the herbs you may be used to working with. We don’t wait to see the blossoms, however, because the foliage is at its best if cut before blooming time. The flower is a pretty blue bell, fading to pink. In case you’re not familiar with comfrey ( Symphytum officinale), it’s a member of the borage family, a strong-growing perennial with somewhat hairy leaves 12 to 18 inches long, rising on short stems from a central crown. We harvested comfrey leaves all summer, and found so many uses for comfrey that, at the end of the season, we ordered 150 additional roots and expanded our little patch to a plantation of 200. We set aside a small rectangular spot on our acre for a bed of 30 comfrey cuttings because we’d heard so much about the plant’s virtues. Great for topical application to aid the healing of bruises. Learn comfrey plant uses and how to grow comfrey, a strong-growing perennial of the borage family. Green leaves of comfrey, also called Symphytum officinale. Renewable Energy News, Blog, & Articles.Sustainable Living - Blog, Articles, & Tips.Natural Health - Nutrition Articles & Tips.Tools and Equipment Articles, Stories & News.Homemade Cheese Recipes: Cheese Making Articles.Sustainable Farming & Agriculture Articles.Power Equipment Articles - Lawn and Garden Equipment.Raising Ducks and Geese: Articles & Ideas.Homesteading Poultry - Chicken, Turkey, Ducks Archives.
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