Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Herbs
Origin
Europe, Russia
China, Japan, Korea
Types
Symphytum officinale (common comfrey), Symphytum asperum (rough comfrey)
-
Number of Varieties
25
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cold Regions, stream banks
gardens, Grassland, Homesteads, Open areas
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, Light Green, Light Yellow, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Green, Light Yellow, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Green, Light Yellow, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Round
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
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Root Division, Transplanting
Divison, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Water daily during growing season
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Keep ground moist, Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Over-head watering, Requires watering in the growing season
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
Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
14-14-14 Fertilizer, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Stem spot
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Shallow soil, Sun
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
Showy Purposes
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
Whole plant
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, Feature Plant, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
Symphytum asperum
PETASITES japonicus 'Variegatus'
Common Name
Comfrey,Black Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort
Giant Butterbur, Japanese Butterbur, Variegated Butterbur
In Hindi
Blackwort
variegated butterbur
In German
Blackwort
bunte Pestwurz
In French
Blackwort
pétasite panachée
In Spanish
Blackwort
butterbur abigarrado
In Greek
Blackwort
διαφοροποιημένα butterbur
In Portuguese
Blackwort
butterbur variegada
In Polish
Blackwort
barwny Lepiężnik
In Latin
Blackwort
varius butterbur
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Lamiales
Asterales
Family
Boraginaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Symphytum
Petasites
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Senecioneae
Subfamily
Boraginoideae
-
Number of Species
3517
1
27800
👆🏻