Consoude - Symphytum Bocking 14

The Symphytum 'Bocking 14' is a beautiful hybrid comfrey resulting from the spontaneous cross-breeding between the common comfrey, Symphytum officinale, and the rough comfrey Symphytum asperum. This variety is cultivated both for its lovely, long flowering period and for making a particularly nutrient-rich comfrey liquid fertiliser. It is a vibrant perennial plant with broad, pilous leaves that does not produce seeds but instead dedicates all its energy to abundant flowering from spring to summer. Its numerous flowers appear in a striking blue, further enhanced by their proximity to red and pink floral buds. A useful and decorative plant, ideal for the wilder corners of the garden, even in shaded areas.

The Bocking 14 comfrey belongs to the Boraginaceae family. It is a herbaceous perennial with a rhizomatous stump, whose growth begins in spring and dies back in winter. Highly hardy, it also tolerates moderate drought periods when grown in shade. The Bocking 14 is a sterile hybrid variety that will not self-seed in the garden. Its growth is rapid, forming clumps of leafy stems reaching an average height of 80 cm, sometimes much taller depending on growing conditions. The clump spreads over a diameter of at least 60 cm wide of ground. However, it is far less prone to producing suckers than other comfreys. It is entirely covered in iridescent, slightly prickly hairs. Its flowering is long and abundant, from April-May to July. Melliferous, it attracts numerous pollinating insects. At the tips of its slightly trailing stems, small clusters of campanulate flowers form, gradually transitioning from deep red to pink and then to bright, vivid blue. The vibrant light green leaves are oblong and lanceolate with prominent veins.

In the garden, the Bocking 14 comfrey is one of the least demanding plants: while it particularly enjoys humus-bearing, deep soil in partial or full shade, it will also thrive in full sun if the soil retains some moisture. It will adapt to any spot in the garden. It is ideal for naturalistic borders, woodland edges provided that its roots do not face too much competition. Pair it, for example, with the Trachystemon orientalis, Omphalodes verna, Siberian bugloss (Brunnera), hydrangeas, or other natural perennials like columbine, wild garlic, or bellflower.
You can make your own potassium-rich comfrey liquid fertiliser by steeping leafy stems in a non-metallic container with a lid. Use 1 kg of comfrey per 10 litres of water, let it steep for 15 days in summer until no more bubbles are forming, stirring regularly once or twice a week. Dilute the mix before use in the garden, at a ratio of 1 litre of the mixture to 10 litres of water. An excellent fertiliser and effective bio-stimulant, comfrey liquid fertiliser also accelerates compost decomposition.

Comfrey derives its vernacular name from its ability to aid bone healing and wound recovery. It is used in many fields, such as organic farming as a 'green' fertiliser, a fortifying plant for animals, and in medicine, notably due to its richness in vitamin B12.