Russian or True Comfrey?

Hello,

I am currently planning my second season of planting for my permaculture gardens.  I am fairly new at this and was looking for advice on planting comfrey.  I have been reading about the two types of comfrey.  I would like to grow comfrey for green manure/ chop and drop, not medicinal reasons.  I know that true comfrey is grown medicinally and can be grown by seed and will need to be sown during the cold months and Russian comfrey can be grown from cuttings as the seeds are sterile.  This is where my knowledge and experience ends.  Has anyone grown either type and what were your experiences?  Do you feel true comfrey offers the same benefits as Russian comfrey as far as soil health goes?  I have found an abundance of true comfrey seeds online.  However, I have searched my area for a cutting or a live Russian comfrey with no success.  Does anyone know of a good place to source a live plant?  I live in zone 6b about a 1/4 mile from a major river system and have plenty of sun as well as shade.  Thank you all and happy gardening!

I'm growing both kinds, but I'm too new to it to give opinions about them. I bought sterile comfrey cuttings from Trace Oswald last summer and was very happy with the price, and the quality of the plants that came up. So you could reach out if you want to buy more.

Christopher Weeks wrote:I'm growing both kinds, but I'm too new to it to give opinions about them. I bought sterile comfrey cuttings from Trace Oswald last summer and was very happy with the price, and the quality of the plants that came up. So you could reach out if you want to buy more.

Thanks, I appreciate that.

I prefer the Russian comfrey myself simply because it doesn't spread by seed.  True comfrey will be everywhere if you start it.  That can be a good or bad thing :)  Russian comfrey threads are all over permies, with more information than you can imagine.  It's very easy to grow.  Take a piece of root from an existing plant, stick it in the ground and wait.  In most climates, that's all it takes.  I started with just a few root pieces from Coe's comfrey years ago, grew out a few plants, and now I have hundreds.  Both Russian and true comfrey are medicinal and great green manure plants, and the pollinators love them.  Russian comfrey has very deep roots and can be cut for green manure several times per season.

Any specific questions, just ask.  There are a lot of people here growing comfrey, you're sure to get answers to any questions.