Description: a robust, erect (up to 120 cm) perennial with thick, mucilaginous roots and large, ovate leaves.
The funnel-shaped flowers appear in clusters in summer and can be white to purple.
Parts used: root, collected in autumn, or leaves, collected during early flowering
Actions: astringent, demulcent, expectorant, tissue healer, cell proliferant
Although comfrey has been used for centuries as a wound healer and restorer of broken bones — its country name is “knitbone” and the botanical name is derived from the Greek sympho meaning to unite — it has had a more chequered history in recent years, veering from panacea to health hazard. (more…)
