Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Tender Perennial
Origin
Europe, Russia
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Types
Symphytum officinale (common comfrey), Symphytum asperum (rough comfrey)
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Number of Varieties
2480
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cold Regions, stream banks
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-11-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
-
Sunset Zone
21,22
-
Habit
Upright/Erect
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm20.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm15.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Orange Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Red, Green, Copper
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
-
Growth Rate
Medium
-
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
-
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
-
Soil Drainage
Well drained
-
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Root Division, Transplanting
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Water daily during growing season
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
-
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
-
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
-
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove dead leaves
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Pinching, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
14-14-14 Fertilizer, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Stem spot
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Shallow soil, Sun
Variety of soil types
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
-
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Butterflies, pollinators
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Allergy
Antibacterial, Peripheral Edema
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Beautiful Skin, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Fixes Nitrogen
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Asthma, Diarrhea, Obesity, Osteoarthritis
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Twigs
-
Other Uses
Used for its medicinal properties
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
-
Botanical Name
Symphytum asperum
CRYPTANTHUS
Common Name
Comfrey,Black Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
In Hindi
Blackwort
Earth Star
In German
Blackwort
Erdstern
In French
Blackwort
Terre étoile
In Spanish
Blackwort
estrella de la tierra
In Greek
Blackwort
γη αστεριών
In Portuguese
Blackwort
Estrela da terra
In Polish
Blackwort
Gwiazda ziemi
In Latin
Blackwort
terra, stella
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Bromeliales
Family
Boraginaceae
Bromeliaceae
Genus
Symphytum
Cryptanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Boraginoideae
Bromelioideae
Number of Species
3550
1
27800
👆🏻