Symphytum officinale L.
Other common names: Symphytum, healing herb, knitback, ass-ear, back wort, blackwort, bruisewort, gum plant, slippery-root.
Habitat and range: Comfrey occurs in waste places from Newfoundland to Minnesota and south to Maryland.
Description: This coarse, hairy herb is from 2 to 3 feet high, erect and branched with thick, rough leaves. The lower leaves are 3 to 10 inches long, the upper ones smaller, lance shaped, and stemless. The terminal flower clusters, composed of numerous purplish or dirty white, tubular bell-shaped flowers, are produced from June to August. The nutlets which follow are brown, shining, and somewhat wrinkled. The dried root is very mucilaginous.
Part used: The root, dug in autumn or in early spring.
