Symphytum caucasicum
Blue comfrey
- Height × spread
- 0.45m × 0.4m
- Position
- All conditions
- Hardiness
- Colder than -20C (RHS H7)
- Flowers
- Spring
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
This comfrey makes large clumps of foliage. The leaves are long and pointed like spearheads, though tend to curve over at their tips. They have a fine crinkled surface. It flowers in April. The plum coloured hairy stem that holds the flowers curves over with their weight so the clusters of tiny, slender, tubular bell-shaped flowers are held pendulously. The flowers are soft-clear blue and come from plum-brown calyces. This is a good plant for ground cover in any rich soil that has moisture, from sunshine to quite dark shade. It grows to around 45cm (18in) height with 40cm (16in) spread.
- Flower colour
- Blue
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Spring foliage
- Yellow
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Bell
- Height
- 0.45m
- Spread
- 0.4m
- Season of interest
- Spring
- Flowers in
- Spring
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Garden style
- Shady court, Cottage garden
- Sun or shade
- All conditions
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam (normal)
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Damp and wet soil, Dry and shady soil
- Hardiness
- Colder than -20C (RHS H7)
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Use for
- Ground cover, Bee attraction
- Deer
- May be nibbled by deer
- Hazards
- Yes, potentially harmful; Humans: Harmful if eaten
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water to keep the soil moist
For best results, this plant needs soil that is always moist. Water deeply and regularly as soon as soil appears dry. Even for established plants in the ground, a dry week can cause problems with some soils. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather. Or install an automatic irrigation system which will do the hard work for you, even when you are away on holiday.
Without regular watering some plants never fully regain their beauty.
Spring - early-mid · Planting
Divide when too large
The plant can be divided if it becomes too large or another plant is required. This may involve physically dividing the clump in two, removing offsets or small bulbs or dividing rhizomes. The new plants can be grown in pots or planted in the ground.
Found in
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