Can someone identify please?

A number of these have turned up and I'm not sure whether to pull them up or leave them.



[ 28. August 2007, 07:14 AM: Message edited by: linlin ]

 

I agree with shiney that it looks like comfrey. Whether you dig it up or leave it is your decision. It has a long history in herbal lore and in the middle ages was called knit-bone. Comfrey tea was used for ulcers and internal bleeding and it is also supposed to cure haemoroids but how you are supposed to apply it, and whether it actually works, I have no idea. Nowadays I think it is more considered a weed, but one person's weed is another one's flower. Just one thing though, it can be slightly invasive and can grow to 5 feet tall.

I get it in my garden occasionally (goodness knows where from) but I treat it as a weed and dig it out.

John

 

Sorry guys I have to disagree with you on this one! :(

Looks like Digitalis (foxglove) to me,I have quite a few in my borders at the moment.
They flowered last year and set seed so I have only the leaves this year.

If you don't want them in your garden dig them up this year otherwise you may have quite a few plants next year when they flower and set seed!
Helen.xxx.

 

Sorry Helen but have to agree with 'Shiney and 'Sarra' - it has to be Comfrey/Symphytum - too many leaves for Digitalis which also thrives round here.

At least it is easy to remove unlike ground elder which also thrived in my last garden.

 

Comfrey====easy to remove==== Wish you would come and remove it from our garden for us then. It has roots which go down to the Antipodes. Any s**** left in the ground grows again. Takes more Roundup to kill than anything else.
Easy to tell the difference, if it has a root like a dock plant then it is Comfrey!

 

Looks like comfrey to me as well! Had 2 kinds years ago and used to bottle the leaves and make comfrey oil.

 

Comfrey very useful herb(there was an article on here about its uses recently)heres a link to some information.http://www.north-west-dahlias.co.uk/comfrey.htm

 

I have a small patch which I use for plant food by putting the leaves in a bucket add some water and leave to ferment!

Smells awfull but is wonderfull to dilute and water your plants with.

 

I've heard of that with nettles Stingo. You mean you can do it with comfrey too? Next time I get some I'll replant it in the furthest reaches of the back garden. Or will it invade?

John

 

Whoops I've put my foot in it again sorry guys!
Anyway don't dispair plenty of uses for comfrey if you don't want to get rid of it, below is a site I fell upon.Helen.xxx.

http://www.allotment.org.uk/vegetables_and_herbs/Comfrey_The_Wonder_Plant.php

 

Oh how i pray it is comfrey, then i could have some for my broken collarbone :(

Oh and hi there Helen :D

 

Thanks for looking. Think I have to dig it up although I may have a go at transplanting a bit somewhere.

 

Sarraceniniac
Yes you can do it with comfrey too, my patch is towards the back of the garden also and doesn't invade too much, I find it's easy to pull out anyway