Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Europe, Russia
Types
-
Symphytum officinale (common comfrey), Symphytum asperum (rough comfrey)
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Cold Regions, stream banks
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
6-11
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Red, Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Red, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Oval
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Root Division, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
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 pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
14-14-14 Fertilizer, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Aphids, Stem spot
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Shallow soil, Sun
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Attracts
-
Ants, Butterflies, pollinators
Allergy
Asthma
Antibacterial, Peripheral Edema
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Beautiful Skin, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification, Fixes Nitrogen
Medicinal Uses
-
Asthma, Diarrhea, Obesity, Osteoarthritis
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves, Twigs
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
Symphytum asperum
Common Name
River Birch
Comfrey,Black Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort
In Hindi
River Birch
Blackwort
In German
Fluss Birch
Blackwort
In French
Birch river
Blackwort
In Spanish
river Birch
Blackwort
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
Blackwort
In Portuguese
river Birch
Blackwort
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Blackwort
In Latin
Betula
Blackwort
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Family
Betulaceae
Boraginaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Subfamily
-
Boraginoideae
Importance of River Birch and Comfrey
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of River Birch and Comfrey. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare River Birch and Comfrey as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of River Birch is whereas of Comfrey is Asthma, Diarrhea, Obesity and Osteoarthritis. River Birch has beauty benefits as follows: while Comfrey has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of River Birch vs Comfrey
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of River Birch vs Comfrey and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of River Birch are Asthma whereas of Comfrey have Antibacterial and Peripheral Edema respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. River Birch has no showy fruits and Comfrey has showy fruits. Also River Birch is not flowering and Comfrey is not flowering . You can compare River Birch and Comfrey facts and facts of other plants too.