how to use comfrey root

You can use the leaf and the root, fresh or dried. The root and leaves of the comfrey plant have been used in traditional medicine in many parts of the world. Add ½ cup water and the root to a sauce pan, Bring to a boil. Part of comfrey’s magic is down to the presence of allantoin, a chemical that stimulates cell production and thus supports wound-healing. To make this recipe, first, you must prepare the comfrey root tincture. 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. Your email address will not be published. Now you have the poultice - it will feel somewhat slimy, like mucilage. This is done by soaking the root in at least 50% alcohol for a minimum of two weeks. 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. It's simple explained last because everything previously mentioned must always be done first. 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. Comfrey is likley unsafe to take by mouth. Comfrey is a permaculture gardener’s best friend because it has a multitude of uses. Place dried roots into the jar. But comfrey must be used with caution and respect. As such, a compress or poultice is considered more suitable for home use. I like to have this salve to use on bumps and bruises. Comfrey root has some *absolutely amazing* traditional uses. It could potentially heal the top layer of skin before the bottom layer, resulting in an abscess. Comfrey can also be made into a lovely soothing cream. Take a mouthful at a time every few hours. Strain the root again and again, do not throw the water out because it is part of your tea. 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. Apply a small amount (not to exceed a teaspoon) topically 2-3x/day for up to 2 weeks. In most circumstances, the most effective way to use comfrey is in a salve or poultice. I sweeten it with a few drops of honey and drink each morning. Remove the air inside the jar before closing the lid tight. 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. To just soak your leg, just choose an appropriately sized container, fill it with warm water and add the comfrey tea. Comfrey is a perennial herb that likes to spread and will . I think it was 2 years ago that I took several root sections fr… All it involves is a placing an appropriate amount of comfrey in warm (NOT hot) water and letting it sit until it becomes slimy. Hang it upside down for a week or so to try out (wait until the leaves have completely dried). It is a great addition to compost in moderation. Those deep roots mean it is a pain to remove, so make sure you site it well. This poultice can be applied to the sore muscles or joint to help reduce inflammation. Click to see full answer Keeping this in view, can you regrow tooth roots? Thus, comfrey is an excellent compost plant and can be laid in the beds of other plants to act as a fertilizer. Using dried comfrey, make the poultice. Comfrey is an incredibly valuable plant on our little homestead. Harvest a couple of comfrey roots in your garden. This is then applied to the skin. It is more common to propagate the plant from root cuttings. This comfrey salve is a must have for your home herbal apothecary. Soothing Comfrey Cream. 2. Avoid using comfrey if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. Clean and dry the roots. Comfrey is a rich source of tannins, saponins, and rosemaric acid, which together play a significant role in decreasing inflammation. There are 2 main types of comfrey. Benefits of Comfrey . 5. Propagating Comfrey . Comfrey root enough to fill the jar; Almond oil to cover; Steps for Making the Infused Oil : 1. It grew so fast each summer that it would get to be about 5’ tall and several feet wide. Topical comfrey is for use only on the skin. For example, comfrey oil is a key ingredient in my bruise cream with arnica & bilberry. I blame it on a bag of compost, although my chiropractor blames it on all the tapping I do at the computer. Its vigour means it will self-seed with abandon. y back is a little broken. Make sure you balance it with firmer plant matter, or you’ll get gooey compost. 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. Do not use comfrey in the presence of active liver disease or in conjunction with medications that impair liver function. Our gardening expert explains its benefits for both plants and people. Comfrey … Log in. Comfrey Attracts Beneficial Insects. Remove from heat. 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. If you choose to use comfrey, use it as directed on the package or as directed by your doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare provider. Its other use, of course, is as a plant food. It is not unusual to sow the seed and not see any germination for two years. Reduce heat and simmer until volume is reduced by half. Beneficial Uses for Comfrey. Understand comfrey’s contraindications before using it. Shake. Osteoarthritis is a condition where joints become inflamed once the … Take 2- to 6-inch lengths of the root and plant them horizontally, 2 to 6 inches deep. Put the root into 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. However, only slight absorption occurs with external application. Also known as knitbone or slippery root, comfrey has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. 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. 6. Boiling the root in water … Never use comfrey internally as it can cause major damage to your liver and is possibly carcinogenic so has the potential to cause cancer. 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 contains a special substance called allantoin, which is a cell proliferative. Comfrey can be grown from seed, but it requires a winter chilling period to germinate. 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. Once it gets much taller than that, it becomes so top heavy that it falls over on the ground. Although these are the proposed uses for comfrey root extract, you should talk with your health care provider before using comfrey herbal remedies. 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. True comfrey, symphytum officinale, is the wild variety of comfrey and has fertile seed. I sprained my ankle on Friday and made a Comfrey compress for healing. Yes, this is a weak tea by most standards. The leaves provide pain relief and reduce swelling. Or make comfrey tea. These reports have temporarily restricted development of comfrey as a food crop. Plant Description. For every 1kg of leaves, you need 15 litres of water, but it doesn’t need to be precise. The herb comfray has a multitude of uses, especially medicinal, and can make a great addition to any garden. A mature plant will grow to at least a metre tall and the same again in width. Do not use more of this product than is recommended on the label. 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. Comfrey contains chemicals that can cause liver damage, lung problems, or cancer. In light of this, the regular consumption of comfrey is not advisable. (Some people skip the paper … Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid and give it a good shake. Part of comfrey’s magic is down to the presence of allantoin, a chemical that stimulates cell production and thus supports wound-healing. 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. They were used primarily to treat bronchial issues as well as to stop heavy bleeding. You will need at least two plants, approximately 60cm apart. In other words, it makes cells grow faster. Often the root is used, but the leaves are useful when made into a poultice to place on sprains and joints. Remove from heat. 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. One of the easiest ways to use comfrey for arthritis pain is to create a simple comfrey poultice. The most popular among the bocking varieties is Bocking 14 and then Bocking 4. 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. I grew comfrey in my backyard and brought a piece of a root with me when we moved. 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. It does best in part shade, and mulching with grass clippings, compost or manure will mean a greater show of leaves. As a Liquid Feed (The Less Stinky Way) Cut a big bundle of comfrey and tie it into a bunch with twine. Cut the leaves 5cm from the ground, fill a container, add the water and wait four weeks. Better yet, it can be used as a green mulch, and it will improve the quality of your soil. Chop the dried roots into fine pieces. 3. 1/3 c. Comfrey Root, Dried & Cut; Water; Directions: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. To make a comfrey bath, simply make a large pot of comfrey tea (not for internal use) and pour it into your bath. 4. 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. Comfrey is known to have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and decongestant properties. How to Use and Grow Comfrey. Pour almond oil enough to cover all the roots. Rot the leaves down in water for several weeks to produce a concentrated liquid fertilizer. 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 is hardy from zones 4 – 9, and will grow in full or partial sun. I blame it on a bag of compost, although my chiropractor blames it on all the tapping I do at the computer. Now our little homestead is blessed with comfrey plants from a single plant gifted to me over 15 years ago. 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! 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. The best scented flowers and foliage | Alys Fowler. 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. Once known as knitbone, Symphytum officinale has a long history of wound healing, particularly broken bones, torn muscles, sprains and aches. You can … 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. So please do avoid comfrey for major skin wounds, and use it only for bruises, sprains and minor cuts and scratches. Add the comfrey and let steep for 10 hours or more. Reserve liquid and discard the comfrey. My back is a little broken. 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. Reserve the comfrey root and the water. Note that comfrey should not be used for more than ten days in a row according to the FDA for safety reasons. Strain the water. The main difference between officin… Nature has many miraculous cures! 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. It is important to use only the leaves of the plant when mulching, as any cut stems have the potential to take root. And of course, I keep my comfrey cream handy for the pesky bee stings. To make the tea, fill a pot or quart jar loosely with fresh comfrey leaves chopped or torn and pour over it boiling water. 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. It is also known as one of the herbs to heal broken bones. It has been used for healing tissue, and has even been used traditionally to regrow bone and tooth tissue! Slimy to the touch, it needs to be this consistency to release … I use 1/2 tsp of Comfrey and 1 tsp of Licorice Root to 2 cups of water. Comfrey can be made into a compost tea which is beneficial for fertilizing your garden. Comfrey is distinguished by large, hairy leaves, a curled inflorescence with white to purple bell-shaped flowers, and black roots. For fertilizing your garden and plant them horizontally, 2 to 6 inches deep the bottom,! Of comfrey and has even been used for healing in width a sauce,! Cut a big bundle of comfrey and 1 tsp of Licorice root to a boil the comfrey and tie into! Least two plants, approximately 60cm apart external application applied to the FDA for safety.... Foliage | Alys Fowler root with me when we moved and bruises tall the. Alcohol for a week or so to try out ( wait until the down! Bundle of comfrey as a plant food have temporarily restricted development of comfrey s... Potentially heal the top layer of skin before the bottom layer, resulting in an abscess great! Or more root again and again, do not throw the water and you have comfrey! 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