Guest guest Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 I have a large Comfrey plant that is starting to flower. Can I cut this back now and will it continue to grow and how far should I cut it back? I want to dry this for infusion into oils. Do I use the flowers also or just the leaves?? MAKE A HAPPY MEMORY EVERY DAY: Evelyn Alternasense Skin Design Products www.alternasense.com<http://www.alternasense.com/> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 I have a large Comfrey plant that is starting to flower. Can I cut this back now and will it continue to grow and how far should I cut it back? I want to dry this for infusion into oils. Do I use the flowers also or just the leaves?? I use to cut the outer leaves off and leave the center ones. It just keeps growing. I also would cut off the flowers unless you wanted it to go to seed which takes away from the plant if you want a lot of leaves. I never used the flowers, just cut them off. I suppose you could use them... I just never did. I did raise comfrey when I lived in Ohio... planted a half dozen plants and by the next year I was digging it up since it had multiplied sooooo much! Love neysa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 We grow comfrey to make a liquid fertiliser and also to mulch things like rasberries. You can cut it right down to the ground and it will grow back up again. Do this before the flowers come out. I would use just the leaves for infusiion. Once you have got comfrey it's very difficult to get rid of, and if you dig it and break off bits of root it will grow from those root bits! Good luck Ann - Scotland I have a large Comfrey plant that is starting to flower. Can I cut this back now and will it continue to grow and how far should I cut it back? I want to dry this for infusion into oils. Do I use the flowers also or just the leaves?? I use to cut the outer leaves off and leave the center ones. It just keeps growing. I also would cut off the flowers unless you wanted it to go to seed which takes away from the plant if you want a lot of leaves. I never used the flowers, just cut them off. I suppose you could use them... I just never did. I did raise comfrey when I lived in Ohio... planted a half dozen plants and by the next year I was digging it up since it had multiplied sooooo much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 Evelyn, Once comfrey takes up residence where you plant it, it becomes about indestructible. Most medicine is made from the leaves or roots. Leaves are dried and later reconstituted in hot water for compresses. Nothing better than a hot comfrey poultice for a strained ankle. The use of comfrey internally is controversial. C-M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 In a message dated 5/18/2004 5:23:11 AM Pacific Standard Time, cmaria writes: Evelyn, Once comfrey takes up residence where you plant it, it becomes about indestructible. I heard of a woman who had an area that had a few comfrey plants and she wanted to plant something else. So she rototilled the area, figuring that turning under the plants would enrich the soil-a good idea for many other herbs, BUT... She now has a huge community of comfrey, as wherever a broken piece of root was left, a new plant sprouted up. DOH!! I teach a class on herbs through our Parks and Rec dept., and a few weeks ago gave a class in herb propagation, bringing in clippings of many of my herb plants in order to share. And of course brought some comfrey root, and showed them all the complex protocol of breaking off a piece of root and shoving it into the pot. They were all quite skeptical that it could be that easy. Of course, this week they all have little comfrey plants at home... Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 First, please make sure what variety you have. There are websites with pics, such as: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/ Henriette also has good info on the hepatoxicity issue. I believe the uplandica variety is the worst with PAs. If you live in a southern climate, like I do, don't use comfrey, except maybe a little bit in an emergency. The lack of winter cold causes the PA level to soar, making it very unhealthy. Otherwise, a poultice, like CM suggested is fine, a bit of an infusion for an external salve is probably ok, but don't overdo it. And yes, it can get to be an invasive weed. http://member.newsguy.com/~herblady Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2004 Report Share Posted May 19, 2004 Hi Evelyn We also grow comfrey here - and I will second what both Ann and Christa Maria said about it taking root and being indestructible. In fact, one of the main reasons we grow it is for use as barrier planting to try and prevent the dreaded kike (kikuyu) grass growing through everything. So if you're happy with it where it is and don't want it to spread, you can trim it back, but just don't dig anywhere near it or the roots will appear just where you've dug! > Otherwise, a poultice, like CM suggested is fine, a bit of an > infusion for > an external salve is probably ok, but don't overdo it. I also used it externally as a poultice a few months back on a very sore neck, and came up in a rash for almost a week. I'd cooked it first, but maybe not long enough. I can use ointment containing comfrey without any problem so this reaction really gave me a surprise. Vicki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2004 Report Share Posted May 19, 2004 Thanks Neysa, I guess I'd better get out my pruning shears. If it EVER stops raining. I swear I'm so tired of rain I could just spit. But, that's just more water. MAKE A HAPPY MEMORY EVERY DAY: Evelyn Alternasense Skin Design Products www.alternasense.com<http://www.alternasense.com/> - Neysa Dormish<the-neysa < > Tuesday, May 18, 2004 12:20 AM Re: Question about Comfrey I have a large Comfrey plant that is starting to flower. Can I cut this back now and will it continue to grow and how far should I cut it back? I want to dry this for infusion into oils. Do I use the flowers also or just the leaves?? I use to cut the outer leaves off and leave the center ones. It just keeps growing. I also would cut off the flowers unless you wanted it to go to seed which takes away from the plant if you want a lot of leaves. I never used the flowers, just cut them off. I suppose you could use them... I just never did. I did raise comfrey when I lived in Ohio... planted a half dozen plants and by the next year I was digging it up since it had multiplied sooooo much! Love neysa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2004 Report Share Posted May 19, 2004 Thanks Neysa, Welcome dear. I guess I'd better get out my pruning shears. If it EVER stops raining. I swear I'm so tired of rain I could just spit. But, that's just more water. Well if you like, you can send some of that rain here. We sure need it!! LOL I would love to grow comfrey here but after the warning (from Anya?) about Southern Comfrey (Not the same as Southern Comfort I guess... ;o} ) I think I will be happy witht he herbs that grow like wildfire here and leave the comfrey alone! Hugs neysa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2004 Report Share Posted May 19, 2004 I hear that Evelyn! If we didn't freeze on a Saturday at market we got wet wet wet!! And sounds like more of the same this weekend too. Trying not to whine (and failing) Serra Evelyn Millican wrote: > Thanks Neysa, > > I guess I'd better get out my pruning shears. If it EVER stops raining. I swear I'm so tired of rain I could just spit. But, that's just more water. > MAKE A HAPPY MEMORY EVERY DAY: > Evelyn > Alternasense Skin Design Products > www.alternasense.com<http://www.alternasense.com/> > - > Neysa Dormish<the-neysa > < > > Tuesday, May 18, 2004 12:20 AM > Re: Question about Comfrey > > I have a large Comfrey plant that is starting to flower. Can I cut this back now and will it continue to grow and how far should I cut it back? I want to dry this for infusion into oils. Do I use the flowers also or just the leaves?? > > -- Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching. Sing like nobody's listening. Live like it's Heaven on Earth. http://www.angelicprovidence.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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