Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Grass
Origin
Europe, Russia
Eastern Asia, Australia
Types
Symphytum officinale (common comfrey), Symphytum asperum (rough comfrey)
Pennisetum setaceum
Number of Varieties
210
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cold Regions, stream banks
Grassland, open forests, wastelands, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-115-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
9 - 5
Sunset Zone
21,22
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Ivory, Rose, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Orange Red
Sandy Brown, Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Red, Green, Copper
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Green, Light Green, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Tan, Sandy Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Conduplicate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Root Division, Transplanting
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Water daily during growing season
occasional watering once established
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
14-14-14 Fertilizer, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Stem spot
eyespot, Leaf spot, Rust
Plant Tolerance
Shallow soil, Sun
Drought
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Butterflies, pollinators
songbirds
Allergy
Antibacterial, Peripheral Edema
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Borders, 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
Seeds
Other Uses
Used for its medicinal properties
Used like flour
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
Symphytum asperum
PENNISETUM alopecuroides
Common Name
Comfrey,Black Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort
Chinese Fountaingrass, Fountaingrass
In Hindi
Blackwort
Fountaingrass
In German
Blackwort
Fountaingrass
In French
Blackwort
Fountaingrass
In Spanish
Blackwort
Fountaingrass
In Greek
Blackwort
Fountaingrass
In Portuguese
Blackwort
Fountaingrass
In Polish
Blackwort
Fountaingrass
In Latin
Blackwort
Fountaingrass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Cyperales
Family
Boraginaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Symphytum
Pennisetum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Paniceae
Subfamily
Boraginoideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
35600
1
27800
👆🏻