Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Europe, Russia
Types
Crossandra, Firecracker Plant
Symphytum officinale (common comfrey), Symphytum asperum (rough comfrey)
Number of Varieties
502
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Homesteads, Urban areas
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, Light Yellow, Peach, 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?
Seedlings
Root Division, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Form a Soil ring to water efficiently, Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water more in summer
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
No pruning needed in the early stages, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
14-14-14 Fertilizer, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Insects
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, Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Beautiful Skin, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Fixes Nitrogen
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cold, Cough, Wounds
Asthma, Diarrhea, Obesity, Osteoarthritis
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Leaves, Twigs
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CROSSANDRA infundibuliformis
Symphytum asperum
Common Name
Firecracker Flower
Comfrey,Black Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort
In Hindi
आबोली
Blackwort
In German
Kracher-Blume
Blackwort
In French
Firecracker fleur
Blackwort
In Spanish
flor petardo
Blackwort
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα λουλούδι
Blackwort
In Portuguese
flor foguete
Blackwort
In Polish
petarda kwiat
Blackwort
In Latin
flos Firecracker
Blackwort
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Lamiales
Family
Acanthaceae
Boraginaceae
Genus
Crossandra
Symphytum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Brodiaeoideae
Boraginoideae
Number of Species
535
1
27800
👆🏻