Plant Details

Symphytum officinale

Comfrey, Common comfrey

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Common names

46 names · 33 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (32)
Dutch
  • Gewone smeerwortel[2]
  • Smeerwortel[2]
French
  • Consoude officinale[2]
  • Grande consoude[2]
Belarusian
  • Жывакост лекавы[2]
Catalan
  • consolda major[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
  • Crni gavez[2]
  • Gavez obični[2]
  • Ljekoviti gavez[2]
+2 more namesShow fewer names
  • Ljubičasti gavez[2]
  • Veliki gavez[2]
Czech
  • kostival lékařský[2]
Danish
  • Læge-kulsukker[2]
Estonian
  • harilik varemerohi[2]
Finnish
  • rohtoraunioyrtti[2]
German
  • Echter Beinwell[2]
  • Gemeiner Beinwell[2]
  • Gewöhnlicher Beinwell[1]
Greek
  • Στεκούλι[2]
  • Σύμφυτο το φαρμακευτικό[2]
Hungarian
  • Fekete nadálytő[2]
Italian
  • Consolida maggiore[2]
Japanese
  • ヒレハリソウ[2]
Korean
Latvian
  • Ārstniecības tauksakne[2]
Lithuanian
  • Vaistinė taukė[2]
Norwegian
Polish
  • żywokost lekarski[2]
Portuguese
  • Confrei[2]
  • Consolda-maior[2]
Romanian
  • Tătăneasă[2]
Russian
  • Окопник лекарственный[2]
Serbian
  • Гавез[2]
Slovak
  • kostihoj lekársky[2]
Slovenian
  • navadni gabez[2]
Spanish
  • Consuelda[2]
  • suelda consuelda[2]
Swedish
  • Äkta vallört[2]
Turkish
  • Kara Kafesotu[2]
Ukrainian
  • Живокіст лікарський[2]
Welsh
  • Llysiau'r cwlwm[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Symphytum officinale L. ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Common Comfrey (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 145388; taxon 53QG6.
  • Gewöhnlicher Beinwell (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 145389; taxon 53QG6.
[2] Symphytum officinale — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Gewone smeerwortel — results[1].names[2]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Smeerwortel — results[1].names[3]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • common comfrey — results[1].names[4]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Knitbone — results[1].names[5]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • comfrey — results[1].names[6]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Echter Beinwell — results[1].names[7]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Consuelda — results[1].names[8]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Gemeiner Beinwell — results[1].names[9]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • rohtoraunioyrtti — results[1].names[10]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Äkta vallört — results[1].names[11]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Consoude officinale — results[1].names[12]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Grande consoude — results[1].names[13]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Consolida maggiore — results[1].names[14]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Окопник лекарственный — results[1].names[15]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Confrei — results[1].names[16]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • kostival lékařský — results[1].names[17]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • ヒレハリソウ — results[1].names[18]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • 康復力 — results[1].names[19]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Læge-kulsukker — results[1].names[20]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • suelda consuelda — results[1].names[21]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Fekete nadálytő — results[1].names[22]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • valurt — results[1].names[23]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • żywokost lekarski — results[1].names[24]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Vaistinė taukė — results[1].names[25]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Consolda-maior — results[1].names[26]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • 컴프리 — results[1].names[27]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • kostihoj lekársky — results[1].names[28]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • 聚合草 — results[1].names[29]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Ljekoviti gavez — results[1].names[30]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Gavez obični — results[1].names[31]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Ljubičasti gavez — results[1].names[32]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Veliki gavez — results[1].names[33]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Crni gavez — results[1].names[34]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • harilik varemerohi — results[1].names[35]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Στεκούλι — results[1].names[36]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Σύμφυτο το φαρμακευτικό — results[1].names[37]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Гавез — results[1].names[38]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Жывакост лекавы — results[1].names[40]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Живокіст лікарський — results[1].names[41]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • navadni gabez — results[1].names[42]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Ārstniecības tauksakne — results[1].names[43]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Tătăneasă — results[1].names[44]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Llysiau'r cwlwm — results[1].names[45]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • consolda major — results[1].names[46]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.
  • Kara Kafesotu — results[1].names[47]; taxon id 55724; Symphytum officinale.

General information

Scientific name: Symphytum officinale
Accepted name (Kew): Symphytum officinale L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [3] [4]
Botanical family: Boraginaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Symphytum (WCVP v16).

Sources [3]
Also known as: Comfrey, Common comfrey
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous, Ground cover
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.3–0.91 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [1]
Spread: 0.23–0.76 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [1]
Growth rate: Fast
Sources [1]
Foliage: None
Growth habit: Clumping, Spreading

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [1]
Life cycle: Perennial
Sources [1]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [1]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist, Occasionally Dry

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [1]
Soil:
Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt)
Sources [1]
pH:
Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [1]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [1]

Uses

Functions:
Biomass production, Gum

Description

Symphytum officinale is a perennial herb containing toxic alkaloids. Ingestion can damage the liver and other organs. Traditional external use does not establish safety for eating the leaves or roots, or for using them in tea, soup or coffee substitutes.

Sources [1] [2]

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/05
Harvest ends: 30/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Symphytum officinale (Black wort, Boneset, Bruise wort, Comfrey, Common Comfrey, Consound, Cultivated Comfrey, Knitbone, Quaker Comfrey, Slippery-Root, True Comfrey) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: DescriptionHeightSpreadGrowth rateGrowth habitLife cycleLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Description: Description; Whole Plant Traits; Edibility; Poison Symptoms and Toxic Principle, where applicable
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 0 ft. 9 in. - 2 ft. 6 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .

  2. Native Plant Trust; Go Botany Symphytum officinale (common comfrey): Go Botany
    Supports: Description
    Relevant sections
    • Description: Facts and species identification characteristics

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 205938; name ID 2473193; Symphytum Tourn. ex L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 206465; name ID 2475636; Symphytum officinale L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  4. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Symphytum officinale

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 1316307, ID 53QG6: Symphytum officinale L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .