Boiling the root in water … Note that comfrey should not be used for more than ten days in a row according to the FDA for safety reasons. Symphytum officinale has been used for thousands of years in traditional Western herbalism for its valuable, healthful properties.Our comfrey root powder is ground from organically cultivated roots. Strain the root again and again, do not throw the water out because it is part of your tea. Cut the leaves 5cm from the ground, fill a container, add the water and wait four weeks. In light of this, the regular consumption of comfrey is not advisable. It is more common to propagate the plant from root cuttings. Make sure you balance it with firmer plant matter, or you’ll get gooey compost. I blame it on a bag of compost, although my chiropractor blames it on all the tapping I do at the computer. Benefits of Comfrey . Propagating Comfrey . This is then applied to the skin. It is not unusual to sow the seed and not see any germination for two years. To make this recipe, first, you must prepare the comfrey root tincture. Comfrey contains a special substance called allantoin, which is a cell proliferative. So please do avoid comfrey for major skin wounds, and use it only for bruises, sprains and minor cuts and scratches. Avoid using comfrey if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. 3. How to Use and Grow Comfrey. Also known as knitbone or slippery root, comfrey has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. As such, a compress or poultice is considered more suitable for home use. My husband uses comfrey cream for skeletal muscle pain with great results. Comfrey root salve has been shown to be a bone knit herbal remedy. Do not use comfrey in the presence of active liver disease or in conjunction with medications that impair liver function. Often the root is used, but the leaves are useful when made into a poultice to place on sprains and joints. Click to see full answer Keeping this in view, can you regrow tooth roots? These reports have temporarily restricted development of comfrey as a food crop. The leaves provide pain relief and reduce swelling. Add ½ cup water and the root to a sauce pan, Bring to a boil. To just soak your leg, just choose an appropriately sized container, fill it with warm water and add the comfrey tea. 4. Soothing Comfrey Cream. But comfrey must be used with caution and respect. 5. The root and leaves of the comfrey plant have been used in traditional medicine in many parts of the world. Its vigour means it will self-seed with abandon. Shake. Chop the dried roots into fine pieces. 6. As a Liquid Feed (The Less Stinky Way) Cut a big bundle of comfrey and tie it into a bunch with twine. Stain liquid. If I’m to harvest potatoes and plant pumpkins, I need a plan of action, a multipronged, throw‑everything-at-it approach: chiropractor, shiatsu massage, if necessary, painkillers – and comfrey. Comfrey can be made into a compost tea which is beneficial for fertilizing your garden. You will need at least two plants, approximately 60cm apart. It is also known as one of the herbs to heal broken bones. A mature plant will grow to at least a metre tall and the same again in width. Beneficial Uses for Comfrey. Comfrey is a rich source of tannins, saponins, and rosemaric acid, which together play a significant role in decreasing inflammation. Because comfrey roots dig so deep in search of nutrients, these nutrients are then stored in their leaves, which lack fiber and break down quickly. Log in. I think it was 2 years ago that I took several root sections fr… To make the tea, fill a pot or quart jar loosely with fresh comfrey leaves chopped or torn and pour over it boiling water. There are 2 main types of comfrey. Do not use more of this product than is recommended on the label. Part of comfrey’s magic is down to the presence of allantoin, a chemical that stimulates cell production and thus supports wound-healing. 2. Hang it upside down for a week or so to try out (wait until the leaves have completely dried). Comfrey is distinguished by large, hairy leaves, a curled inflorescence with white to purple bell-shaped flowers, and black roots. If I’m to harvest potatoes and plant pumpkins, I need a plan of action, a multipronged, throw‑everything-at-it approach: chiropractor, shiatsu massage, if necessary, painkillers – and comfrey. Comfrey … Remove from heat. We harvested comfrey leaves all summer, and found so many uses for comfrey that, at the end of the season, we ordered 150 additional roots and expanded our little patch to a plantation of 200. This poultice can be applied to the sore muscles or joint to help reduce inflammation. What I do is use my thumb to mark the top of the dried comfrey in the jar before I add the oil, then add about 1/2 inch above that. Pour almond oil enough to cover all the roots. Once it gets much taller than that, it becomes so top heavy that it falls over on the ground. It has been used for healing tissue, and has even been used traditionally to regrow bone and tooth tissue! Your email address will not be published. 1/3 c. Comfrey Root, Dried & Cut; Water; Directions: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Comfrey root will stay at the bottom so it’s easy to tell how much to add, but comfrey leaves float so it’s a bit more challenging. However, the variety Bocking 14 has been bred to have a higher nutrient content than wild comfrey and produces little seed, so it won’t spread around. Its other use, of course, is as a plant food. Reserve liquid and discard the comfrey. The main difference between officin… My back is a little broken. Or make comfrey tea. Comfrey contains chemicals that can cause liver damage, lung problems, or cancer. It could potentially heal the top layer of skin before the bottom layer, resulting in an abscess. Now you have the poultice - it will feel somewhat slimy, like mucilage. I sweeten it with a few drops of honey and drink each morning. https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/cooling-herbal-compress-3-easy-steps, https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/comfrey-herbal-oil/profile, https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/benefits-of-comfrey.html, https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/comfrey-leaf/profile, https://www.frontiercoop.com/frontier-co-op-comfrey-leaf-cut-and-sifted-organic-1-lb/?gclid=CjwKCAjw5vz2BRAtEiwAbcVIL3Yj3J0gVpBPxH6Ux1TODyGUQbQuLm3K2hk6mwW5cnHzW5qnHzjnTBoC_ioQAvD_BwE, Six Reasons for Using Cover Crops in the Garden | Seeking Joyful Simplicity, How to Make Your Own Herbal Sleep Tincture, DIY Herbal First Aid Kit Using All-Natural Homemade Remedies, You Can’t Change Others, So Change Yourself – Setting Personal Boundaries, Roasted Root Vegetables with Ginger Tamari Dressing. Comfrey is a permaculture gardener’s best friend because it has a multitude of uses. Reserve the comfrey root and the water. Yes, this is a weak tea by most standards. Comfrey is known to have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and decongestant properties. Strain the water. It is such an excellent and speedy wound-healing remedy that it actually should not be used on deep wounds or lacerations. It’s a perennial plant so comes back every year, larger and larger each time. All it involves is a placing an appropriate amount of comfrey in warm (NOT hot) water and letting it sit until it becomes slimy. Take 2- to 6-inch lengths of the root and plant them horizontally, 2 to 6 inches deep. Better yet, it can be used as a green mulch, and it will improve the quality of your soil. Put the root into 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. They were used primarily to treat bronchial issues as well as to stop heavy bleeding. Slimy to the touch, it needs to be this consistency to release … And of course, I keep my comfrey cream handy for the pesky bee stings. In other words, it makes cells grow faster. Within a year or two from the time I first planted a small piece of the root, the comfrey in my flower garden had grown exponentially! Remove the air inside the jar before closing the lid tight. You might use topical comfrey root remedies to treat back pain, sprains and strains, bone fractures, bruises, varicose veins, conjunctivitis, skin ulcers and minor wounds. Once known as knitbone, Symphytum officinale has a long history of wound healing, particularly broken bones, torn muscles, sprains and aches. It is a great addition to compost in moderation. You can use the liquid feed (which will keep for several months) in a 1 part comfrey/10 parts water mixture to feed your plants. For example, comfrey oil is a key ingredient in my bruise cream with arnica & bilberry. True comfrey, symphytum officinale, is the wild variety of comfrey and has fertile seed. Then use this liquid on any plant that needs nourishment: once a week for tomatoes, chillies, aubergines, cucumbers, and other fruit in pots once the flowers appear; every other week for other crops in pots and whenever anything in the ground needs a little boost. I sprained my ankle on Friday and made a Comfrey compress for healing. I like to have this salve to use on bumps and bruises. It grew so fast each summer that it would get to be about 5’ tall and several feet wide. I use 1/2 tsp of Comfrey and 1 tsp of Licorice Root to 2 cups of water. Osteoarthritis is a condition where joints become inflamed once the … Rot the leaves down in water for several weeks to produce a concentrated liquid fertilizer. Comfrey is likley unsafe to take by mouth. Never use comfrey internally as it can cause major damage to your liver and is possibly carcinogenic so has the potential to cause cancer. You can … Applying comfrey extract ointment combined with other ingredients like eucalyptus oil, Aloe vera gel, tannic acid, and frankincense oil on the affected area for about 6-10 weeks can help heal osteoarthritis. You can use the leaf and the root, fresh or dried. The leaves are rich in nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous because comfrey’s extensive tap root can mine all the good stuff deep in the soil. Place the jar in a paper bag and store near a warm, sunny window. Comfrey attracts a number of different pollinators with its beautiful flowers and provides habitat for beneficial insects. Add the comfrey and let steep for 10 hours or more. I grew comfrey in my backyard and brought a piece of a root with me when we moved. Topical comfrey is for use only on the skin. I blame it on a bag of compost, although my chiropractor blames it on all the tapping I do at the computer. One of the easiest ways to use comfrey for arthritis pain is to create a simple comfrey poultice. Reduce heat and simmer until volume is reduced by half. Now our little homestead is blessed with comfrey plants from a single plant gifted to me over 15 years ago. Take the 1/2 cup of water and combine it with the 1 cup of water and you have your comfrey root cold extract tea. Russian comfrey, symphytum uplandicum, has many different sub-varieties, usually marked by the name “Bocking” and then a number, corresponding to the trial in which it was developed. Comfrey is a perennial herb that likes to spread and will . For every 1kg of leaves, you need 15 litres of water, but it doesn’t need to be precise. Comfrey may not be an obvious choice, but it has always been such a kind plant to the garden that it should come as no surprise that is kind to the body, too. Thus, comfrey is an excellent compost plant and can be laid in the beds of other plants to act as a fertilizer. Part of comfrey’s magic is down to the presence of allantoin, a chemical that stimulates cell production and thus supports wound-healing. Understand comfrey’s contraindications before using it. Our gardening expert explains its benefits for both plants and people. Although these are the proposed uses for comfrey root extract, you should talk with your health care provider before using comfrey herbal remedies. Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid and give it a good shake. Nature has many miraculous cures! Plant Description. This is done by soaking the root in at least 50% alcohol for a minimum of two weeks. The best scented flowers and foliage | Alys Fowler. The most popular among the bocking varieties is Bocking 14 and then Bocking 4. I have read that it was even used in the same way for plants: if a branch was damaged or a graft needed to be hurried along, a wrapping of comfrey was called for to do its wonders. Apply a small amount (not to exceed a teaspoon) topically 2-3x/day for up to 2 weeks. Caution - Although comfrey has been used as a food crop, in the past 20 years scientific studies reported that comfrey may be carcinogenic, since it appeared to cause liver damage and cancerous tumors in rats. It was even applied internally, although many herbalists are cautious of using it this way because it contains powerful pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can cause liver damage and abdominal distress. Comfrey is an incredibly valuable plant on our little homestead. The herb comfray has a multitude of uses, especially medicinal, and can make a great addition to any garden. Those deep roots mean it is a pain to remove, so make sure you site it well. y back is a little broken. It is important to use only the leaves of the plant when mulching, as any cut stems have the potential to take root. Place dried roots into the jar. It's simple explained last because everything previously mentioned must always be done first. Clean and dry the roots. Using dried comfrey, make the poultice. It does best in part shade, and mulching with grass clippings, compost or manure will mean a greater show of leaves. In most circumstances, the most effective way to use comfrey is in a salve or poultice. Comfrey root enough to fill the jar; Almond oil to cover; Steps for Making the Infused Oil : 1. Remove from heat. To make a comfrey bath, simply make a large pot of comfrey tea (not for internal use) and pour it into your bath. However, only slight absorption occurs with external application. This comfrey salve is a must have for your home herbal apothecary. I use comfrey salve to treat my chronic low back pain, brought long summer days in the garden and winters hauling a heavy chainsaw around our woodland homestead cutting firewood. Take a mouthful at a time every few hours. 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