Topic: Types of Comfrey.

[Palustris]

We have a dwarf white flowered Comfrey, been in the garden since we arrived and is a none spreader. BUT is it the same as the tall thug one, in terms of use as composter, fertiliser and medicinal use?

[Baccy Man]

Each variety has a different composition they are all suitable for use as fertiliser although Symphytum x uplandicum (Bocking 14 & Bocking 4 strains) were developed as the varieties with the best combination of nutrients & minerals for both medicinal & gardening purposes. Prior to these being developed it was Symphytum officinale that was best suited to these purposes.
Your white comfrey may be Symphytum orientale which is ok for fertiliser but not so good for medicinal purposes.

[kt.]

My compost takes ages to rot down so hopefully these seeds I have recently purchased will grow to become a constructive activator.  I also hope to make some beneficial plant feed. Having never used comfrey before,  the instructions sound promising.

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/group/comfrey.html

[Baccy Man]

The T&M one is Symphytum officinale it self seeds everywhere if you don't cut it back & even if you do cut it back before it sets seed it still tends to spread horizontally via the roots so I would box it in with some sunken slabs to restrict the spread of the roots if I were you.
Chiltern seeds is the only supplier of Bocking 14 seed (non spreading with sterile seeds) that I know of but they can't always supply it as producing viable seed of this cross is a bit hit & miss.

If you haven't already read it then I would suggest looking at this document for comfrey uses.
http://www.allotment.org.uk/vegetable/comfrey/comfrey.PDF

[Palustris]

Found one of the big blue flowered thugs hiding in the waste area behind the compost heap. Never sowed the seed, but there it be.

[lavenderlux]

You can use the ordinary Symphytum x uplandicum Comfrey (as opposed to the Bocking strains) as fertilizer and for adding to the compost heap but its best to manage this by cutting down about now, before it flowers;  it will then regrow and again cut before it flowers, otherwise it will self seed everywhere.  You can probably get four or five cuts a year.   If you do leave it to flower, the bees love it

[landimad]

I have found the wiki site a big plus in helping me choose the type of comfrey to get.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfrey

I would always use this to help me get the right results

[tonybloke]

My compost takes ages to rot down so hopefully these seeds I have recently purchased will grow to become a constructive activator.  I also hope to make some beneficial plant feed. Having never used comfrey before,  the instructions sound promising.
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/group/comfrey.html

you could always p.m. me for some root cuttings of 'bocking 14'. ;)

[Palustris]

I do not actually want any of the stuff. It has the same effect on both me and my wife as nettles and just as painful too. I just wondered if there was any difference that is all. To pull it up I wear thick gloves and long sleeves. Even then I managed to touch my face with a leaf, not a pretty site believe me.