What is Comfrey Leaf?

Comfrey Leaf is the dried leaf of Symphytum officinale, a perennial in the borage family (Boraginaceae) with large, hairy, broad leaves. It has one of the longest-documented histories in Western herbalism, reflected in old common names such as Knitbone, Bruisewort, and Blackwort. It is a traditional external-use herb.

About the plant

Comfrey is native to Europe and parts of Asia and has long been valued in organic gardening as well. The plant contains allantoin and mucilage along with pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). Because of those PAs, modern Western herbalism reserves comfrey for external preparations such as poultices, infused oils, and salves, and does not consider it appropriate for internal use. We offer the dried leaf as an external-use botanical only.

Comfrey Leaf: form & sizes

We carry Comfrey Leaf as cut and sifted dried leaf, sold by weight in sizes from 1 oz to 1 lb. We make no health or therapeutic claims.

Storage

Store Comfrey Leaf in an airtight container, away from heat, light, and humidity, to preserve its color and aroma.

Comfrey Leaf at a glance

Botanical name

Symphytum officinale

Family

Boraginaceae

Native region

Europe and parts of Asia

Plant part

leaf

Also known as

Knitbone, Bruisewort, Blackwort

Use category

External topical only (poultices, infused oils, salves)

Form

cut and sifted dried leaf

Sizes

1 oz to 1 lb