Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Europe
Europe, Russia
Types
-
Symphytum officinale (common comfrey), Symphytum asperum (rough comfrey)
Number of Varieties
62
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
dry rocky watercourses
Cold Regions, stream banks
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-96-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
-
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
21,22
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
71.10 cm20.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Blue Violet, Lavender, Purple, White
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Sea Green
Red, Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Sea Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Sea Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Red, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lanceolate to elliptical
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Rhizome division
Root Division, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
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
Aphids, Bacterial leaf spot, Billbugs, Borers, Fungal leaf spots
Aphids, Stem spot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shallow soil, Sun
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Ants, Butterflies, pollinators
Allergy
Gastric disturbances, Skin irritation
Antibacterial, Peripheral Edema
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
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
Juice of fresh root used for treatment of dropsy
Asthma, Diarrhea, Obesity, Osteoarthritis
Part of Plant Used
Root
Leaves, Twigs
Other Uses
Making Perfumes, Used as a flavouring in food
Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Mixed Border
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
Iris germanica
Symphytum asperum
Common Name
German Iris
Comfrey,Black Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort
In Hindi
German Iris
Blackwort
In German
German Iris
Blackwort
In French
German Iris
Blackwort
In Spanish
German Iris
Blackwort
In Greek
German Iris
Blackwort
In Portuguese
German Iris
Blackwort
In Polish
German Iris
Blackwort
In Latin
German Iris
Blackwort
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Lamiales
Family
Iridaceae
Boraginaceae
Genus
Iris
Symphytum
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
Boraginoideae
Number of Species
30035
1
27800
👆🏻