Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Herbaceous Perennial
Origin
Europe, Russia
China, Japan, Korea
Types
Symphytum officinale (common comfrey), Symphytum asperum (rough comfrey)
-
Number of Varieties
215
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cold Regions, stream banks
Lake Sides, River side
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-115-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
9-4
Sunset Zone
21,22
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 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 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Light Yellow, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Orange Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Red, Green, Copper
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Orbiculate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
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
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Spring, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Root Division, Transplanting
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Water daily during growing season
Keep ground moist, Requires consistently moist soil
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
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, 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, Requires high amount of nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Stem spot
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Shallow soil, Sun
Drought, Drought and Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Butterflies, pollinators
-
Allergy
Antibacterial, Peripheral Edema
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beautification
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
Antiasthamatic, Expectorant, Miscellany
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Twigs
Flowers, Stem
Other Uses
Used for its medicinal properties
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Bog Garden, Container, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
Symphytum asperum
PETASITES japonicus 'Argentea'
Common Name
Comfrey,Black Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort
Giant Butterbur, Japanese Butterbur, Variegated Butterbur
In Hindi
Blackwort
Japanese Butterbur
In German
Blackwort
japanische Pestwurz
In French
Blackwort
Japanese Butterbur
In Spanish
Blackwort
petasita japonesa
In Greek
Blackwort
Japanese Butterbur
In Portuguese
Blackwort
Carrapicho japonês
In Polish
Blackwort
japoński Lepiężnik
In Latin
Blackwort
Japanese Butterbur
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Asterales
Family
Boraginaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Symphytum
Petasites
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Boraginoideae
-
Number of Species
358
1
27800
👆🏻