where does comfrey grow wild

Where does comfrey naturally grow?

Common comfrey is a hairy plant of damp ground and is found beside rivers, in fens and ditches, and on roadside verges and waste ground. It often grows in clumps and displays clusters of bell-shaped, pinky-purple flowers from May to July.

Is comfrey native to North America?

Andersonglossum virginianum, known as southern wild comfrey, is a flowering plant in the borage family native to North America.

Is wild comfrey invasive?

Comfrey also self-seeds. Between the self-seeding and root regrowth, comfrey can become invasive.

Where do I get forage for comfrey?

0:253:25COMFREY: Identification, Foraging & Use || MEDICINAL HERBS in ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipGrowing towards an average height of 30 to 100 centimetres the plant features very distinct feltedMoreGrowing towards an average height of 30 to 100 centimetres the plant features very distinct felted or wired leaves which are elongated.

Is comfrey plant illegal in the US?

However, it has toxic substances called pyrrolizidine alkaloids that damage the liver and can lead to death. Comfrey is no longer sold in the U.S., except in creams or ointments. The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Germany also have banned the sale of oral products containing comfrey.

What is wild comfrey good for?

It is commonly used to treat osteoarthritis and lower back pain. The comfrey commonly grown in gardens and that sometimes escapes into the wild is Symphytum officinale. The leaves of this plant do produce pryrrolizidine alkaloids as a defense against leaf-eating insects.

Why did FDA ban comfrey?

The pyrrolizidine alkaloids in comfrey can cause severe liver damage, liver cancer, mutagenicity, and even death. [8,9] For this reason, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned the sale of oral comfrey products in the United States.

Will deer eat comfrey?

Comfrey is a great plant to have outside of your orchard (or garden)fencing. Deer enjoy this plant almost as much as hosta, but they don't eat it to the ground, more as a browse.

Can you eat comfrey?

When taken by mouth: Comfrey is LIKELY UNSAFE for anyone when taken by mouth. It contains chemicals (pyrrolizidine alkaloids, PAs) that can cause liver damage, lung damage, and cancer. The FDA has recommended that all oral comfrey products be removed from the market.

What happens if you eat comfrey?

Today, eating or taking any form of comfrey by mouth isn't recommended. It's considered unsafe, due to the pyrrolizidine alkaloids that comfrey contains. These are dangerous chemicals that can cause cancer, severe liver damage, and even death when you consume them.

How do you harvest wild comfrey?

3:094:02How to harvest Comfrey! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWith getting a bigger comfrey harvest so in plus if you're going to use her internally it's best toMoreWith getting a bigger comfrey harvest so in plus if you're going to use her internally it's best to do so after few blooms. So you're kind of just like.

Will cows eat comfrey?

Cattle will also eat fresh comfrey leaves when they're chopped. To make hay, cut comfrey leaves from the plant and dry for at least three days before storing them. Don't think of this hay as in hay bales—this isn't typically a crop you'll produce in an area as large as a hay field—rather large, dried leaves of forage.

Is comfrey native to New York?

This plant is mostly restricted to southeastern New York, although a few disjunct populations have been reported from central New York. Hound's-tongue (Cynoglossum officinale) is a European species introduced here and is now weedy.

Does comfrey plant grow wild?

Wild comfrey (Cynoglossum virginianum) of the Borage (Boraginaceae) family is a short perennial with large leaves and pale blue flowers. In the US, it occurs from Texas to Illinois to New York to the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.

Does comfrey grow wild in Canada?

It is native to boreal coniferous and mixed forests in North America, from Nova Scotia to British Columbia and Yukon in Canada, south to New Jersey and Indiana in the United States. It is often found in rocky or sandy soils.

Is wild comfrey edible?

Today, eating or taking any form of comfrey by mouth isn't recommended. It's considered unsafe, due to the pyrrolizidine alkaloids that comfrey contains. These are dangerous chemicals that can cause cancer, severe liver damage, and even death when you consume them.