Can You Touch Comfrey

Widely adapted and easy to grow, comfrey (Symphytum species) originated as a woodland wildflower of Europe and Asia. Various medicinal uses for comfrey date back 2,400 years, and no wonder. If you cut a stem and touch it to your tongue, you can taste a tingle, as if the sap is alive.

Is comfrey a carcinogen?

Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are both hepatotoxic and carcinogenic (13), and there is extensive literature concerning hepatotoxicity with use of oral comfrey (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10).

What can I do with comfrey?

1. Vigorous comfrey plants regrow after greens are harvested for compost or mulch.
2. Garlic is tucked in with a double mulch of chopped comfrey and rotted hay.
3. A comfrey root poultice can speed healing of sprains and bruises.
4. Use dried leaves to make comfrey tea for houseplants.