Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Europe, Russia
Types
Orange, Dark Red (Ratan aboli), Yellow, Delhi Crossandra , Arka Ambara, Arka Kanaka (IIHR varieties)
Symphytum officinale (common comfrey), Symphytum asperum (rough comfrey)
Number of Varieties
62
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Screen Cottage and Informal Garden, Urban areas, Wild
Cold Regions, stream banks
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-156-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-9
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
21,22
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
40.60 cm20.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Orange, Orange Red
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Red, Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Red, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Root Division, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Water daily during growing season
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Water daily during 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
Soil Type
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer
14-14-14 Fertilizer, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Stem spot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shallow soil, Sun
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Ants, Butterflies, pollinators
Allergy
-
Antibacterial, Peripheral Edema
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bouquets, Cottage Garden, Ground Cover, Hanging Basket, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Beautiful Skin, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Agroforestry
Air purification, Fixes Nitrogen
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Aphrodisiac, Bronchitis, Cough, Liver problems, Menstrual Disorders
Asthma, Diarrhea, Obesity, Osteoarthritis
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Leaves, Twigs
Other Uses
Basketary, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Hedges, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CROSSANDRA infundibuliformis
Symphytum asperum
Common Name
Crossandra, firecracker flower
Comfrey,Black Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort
In Hindi
Crossandra
Blackwort
In German
Crossandra
Blackwort
In French
Crossandra
Blackwort
In Spanish
Crossandra
Blackwort
In Greek
Crossandra
Blackwort
In Portuguese
Crossandra
Blackwort
In Polish
Crossandra
Blackwort
In Latin
Crossandra
Blackwort
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Scrophulariales
Lamiales
Family
Acanthaceae
Boraginaceae
Genus
Crossandra
Symphytum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Boraginoideae
Number of Species
5235
1
27800
👆🏻