Official Comfrey NT - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds

The Common Comfrey, known as Symphytum officinale in Latin, is a plant with many virtues, known since antiquity as a medicinal plant. It is used in many ways: in cooking or herbalism, but especially in the garden to be used as a fertiliser and growth-stimulating liquid. It can be sown in spring and autumn, but ideally from March to June.

Also known as Knitbone or Alum, the Common Comfrey belongs, like Borage, to the Boraginaceae family. It is a perennial herbaceous plant native to Europe and Western Asia, which benefits from great hardiness and can withstand temperatures as low as -30°C (-22°F).

The Greater Comfrey is vigorous and can reach, if the soil and conditions are suitable, 1.2 metres (4 feet) in height and 1.5 metres (5 feet) in width. It grows in an upright clump, with its stems and large green leaves covered in hair. It bears bell-shaped flowers from May to July, with varying colours. It is sometimes considered a "weed" as it grows spontaneously in moist environments.

In cooking, its young leaves can be added raw to mixed salads. Cooked, they can be stuffed, prepared as fritters, soups or purées. The young flower buds, with a slight marine taste, are cooked in the same way as broccoli or asparagus. However, be aware that although edible, its high alkaloid content makes it a plant to be consumed in moderation.

In herbalism, its large leaves are used as poultices to treat minor injuries as they facilitate and accelerate the healing of sprains. Excellent reparative balms, rich in allantoin, can also be made from its roots.

In the garden, Comfrey is both ornamental and growth-stimulating: rich in potassium and boron, Comfrey manure complements Nettle manure, which provides a lot of nitrogen. This manure stimulates flowering and fruiting while improving foliar resistance. The manure can also be used as an activator for composting and as a liquid fertiliser for the most demanding vegetables. It is also an excellent mulch: roughly chopped, Comfrey leaves decompose quickly, providing their nutrients to the soil. Finally, prepared as an extract, it is a good natural insecticide against aphids.

Lastly, it is worth noting that it is a plant that is attractive to bees, bumblebees and butterflies, as it is nectar-rich.

Harvest: it is carried out approximately every two weeks, from May to October, by cutting the plant to about one-third of its height.

Storage: Comfrey leaves can be well preserved by drying.

The gardener's tip: Comfrey multiplies easily, by dividing the clump but also by seed to the point of becoming... a little too present. To enjoy its benefits without suffering from an invasion, reserve a large space for it, away from other crops, and remove any unwanted spontaneous seedlings at the seedling stage, if necessary.

The untreated or "NT" seeds come from conventionally grown plants (often with the use of phytosanitary products), but they undergo no treatment after harvesting. These seeds are allowed in organic market gardening when organic seeds are out of stock.