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midwest usa

Anyone Have any Comfrey or know good source?

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posted 12 years ago

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I live in NE Missouri and am looking for 20+ comfrey cuttings/rhizomes for my orchard trees. Is there anyone that knows a good source for this or have any comfrey for sale? Thanks!

Ben Stallings

pollinator

Posts: 181

Location: Omaha, NE

posted 12 years ago

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How close are you to Rutledge? I bet the folks at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage would make you a deal. http://www.dancingrabbit.org/

Jordan Lowery

pollinator

Posts: 1528

Location: zone 7

posted 12 years ago

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horizon herbs

The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings. - Masanobu Fukuoka

William James

gardener

Posts: 1060

Location: Northern Italy

posted 12 years ago

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Jordan Lowery wrote:horizon herbs

I second that. Bought a packet a month ago. Cold-stratification in fridge. Now waiting to germinate.

W

Our Microgreens: http://www.microortaggi.it

Ben Stallings

pollinator

Posts: 181

Location: Omaha, NE

posted 12 years ago

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William James wrote:
I second that. Bought a packet a month ago. Cold-stratification in fridge. Now waiting to germinate.

Germinate? You're growing comfrey from seed?

The variety I'm familiar with, Russian comfrey, is sterile and reproduces only by division. This is important because it blooms continuously all season and is very difficult to get rid of once established, so it would be dangerously invasive if it could produce seed. I don't have experience with any fertile varieties, but personally I would be very cautious about planting them. Especially when you can get cuttings of Russian comfrey for free from anyone who already has the stuff!

Jeanine Gurley Jacildone

pollinator

Posts: 1459

Location: Midlands, South Carolina Zone 7b/8a

posted 12 years ago

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If you must buy;

I bought three healthy 'true' comfrey plants and some seed from Horizon Herbs. Yes, I am aware that it is considered invasive - that's what I want.

This post reminded me that I have seed started - only planted it a less than a week ago. Went out to the shop where my flats are and --- I hope it is not ruined! It is up and three inches tall!! It is dark in there so the seedlings are all white and leggy along with the other plants that came up. I'll try to slowly introduce them to the light - all of them are white and leggy.

Anyway, I am VERY happy with the plants and seed from Horizon Herbs and will buy from them again.

1. my projects

William James

gardener

Posts: 1060

Location: Northern Italy

posted 12 years ago

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Ben Stallings wrote:
Germinate? You're growing comfrey from seed?

Yes.

This is the one I bought.
http://www.horizonherbs.com/product.asp?specific=1856

I saw the video about comfrey where michael pilarski where he explains that Russian comfrey is not what you want, unless you want russian comfrey, in which case russian comfrey is the one you should get root divisions for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dogNx-z7Oig

Until proven wrong, I still think I did the right thing germinating them. Especially since getting root cuttings here is....let's just say it would give you great experience and many headaches. Nobody has heard of this plant (comfrey(ita)=consolida maggiore/erba di san lorenzo) where I live. Only plant-geek associations which I didn't have to contact thanks to that video and horizon herbs.
W

Our Microgreens: http://www.microortaggi.it

Ben Stallings

pollinator

Posts: 181

Location: Omaha, NE

posted 12 years ago

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Thanks for the clarification, William. I watched the video and read the article, but it's not clear to me whether there is an advantage to true comfrey for those of us not planning to use it medicinally. Does it make better mulch? Is it better for the pollinators? Or is it mainly the medicinal use that makes true comfrey preferable? Thank you again.

William James

gardener

Posts: 1060

Location: Northern Italy

posted 12 years ago

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for me the most important thing was that you can propagate by seed. Otherwise, I would not have the 3-4 plants I now have. Nobody here has comfrey.
W

Our Microgreens: http://www.microortaggi.it

Todd Parr

pollinator

Posts: 1793

Location: Wisconsin, zone 4

posted 12 years ago

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I don't know if anyone is still looking for Comfrey, but I ordered it here: http://www.coescomfrey.com/Coes_Comfrey___General_Information.html

They are just great to deal with and sent me several extras in every category I ordered from.

"People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do."

Ken LaVere

Posts: 35

Location: Southern Kentucky near Glasgow

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posted 12 years ago

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Ben Stallings wrote:Thanks for the clarification, William. I watched the video and read the article, but it's not clear to me whether there is an advantage to true comfrey for those of us not planning to use it medicinally. Does it make better mulch? Is it better for the pollinators? Or is it mainly the medicinal use that makes true comfrey preferable? Thank you again.

That is my question also; I watched the video and read the posts but which is better? The bocking #4 Russian comfrey from coescomfrey.com or the "True" comfrey?

"When a people who have been brainwashed since birth, forcefully colonized, and illegitimately ruled by a colonial power, throw off the shackles of that colonial power, it is properly called a revolution." - Michael Bunker "Surviving Off Off-Grid: Decolonizing the Industrial Mind"

William James

gardener

Posts: 1060

Location: Northern Italy

posted 12 years ago

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As far as cultivation is concerned, I don't think it's a question of "better", but of "different".
True comfrey has seeds, which means it could potentially be a disaster in a small garden. If you're not careful with the seeds, it could spread.

I actually want the seeds so I'm willing to take the risk.

Russian comfrey spreads too, but because it spreads via roots you might be able to keep it under control. Supposedly, if you don't disturb the roots, it just stays where it is. But people have had trouble with spreading anyway with rooted species.

If your intention is to have a bunch of it, this is the plant for you. Either one.

As for medicinal value differences, I don't know. Anyone?
William

Our Microgreens: http://www.microortaggi.it

Ken LaVere

Posts: 35

Location: Southern Kentucky near Glasgow

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posted 12 years ago

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Ok I just received my order from Coes Comfrey, I am super impressed! He sent me more then I ordered, great service and beautiful healthy cuttings!

I also ordered seeds from Thompson-Morgan.com great price, 30 seed packets so I ordered 2 packets because shipping did not go up. Worth a shot seeds are from the UK....

Jamie Corne

Posts: 61

posted 12 years ago

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Might be a little late here - but The Rowan Tree Church has EXCELLENT herbs in all kinds - and Rev. Paul and Rev. gerry (please always lowercase his first name no matter what per his request) are the greatest and most knowledgeable people in the herb arena that I've ever met.

http://therowantreechurch.org/

Loren Hunt

Posts: 46

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana, USA - Zone 5B

posted 11 years ago

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It would seem as though there are still benefits to growing Russian Comfrey if only for its benefits to other plants. It won't spread and overtake your garden unless you till it (which if you're a permie a tiller would be considered a WMD!). Downside of Russian is it should not be used for tea or medicinal purposes - this from all I've read. Downside of "True Comfrey" is it can spread quickly and overtake your garden just by it's seed disbursement.

I have six Russian plants that are in their second season in my yard under fruit trees. I have a packet of what is probably the true variety I got from nutsncones.com on eBay. They specifically called it Symphytum officinale L. Planting it today.

Jon Paddy

Posts: 64

posted 11 years ago

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I'm selling bocking 14 root cuttings this year, feel free to PM me if you are interested.

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