7 Best Uses for 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.

How do you use fresh comfrey leaves?

The most common medicinal use of comfrey are in poultices to help heal swellings, inflammations and sores. To make such a dressing, let the leaves mush up in hot water, squeeze out the excess liquid and wrap several handfuls of the hot, softened foliage in a clean cloth.

How do you use comfrey medicinal?

Comfrey is a soothing herb that can relieve sore nipples. Experts recommend moistening the herb with boiling water, wrapping it in gauze, and applying to the breasts. More. For sore nipples, some healthcare practitioners may recommend a warm, moist poultice of herbs with demulcent (soothing) properties.

Where do you apply comfrey?

Comfrey can grow in full sun to partial shade, meaning it needs at least three hours of direct sunlight on most days. In the warmer parts of its growing zones, plant it where it will get shade from the strong afternoon sun.

What part of comfrey is used for medicine?

Comfrey is a plant. Even though this plant contains poisonous chemicals called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), some people use the leaf, root, and root-like stem (rhizome) to make medicine.

Can you use comfrey on open wounds?

The toxic substances in comfrey can be absorbed by the skin. Even creams and ointments should be used for only a short time, and only under a doctor’s supervision. DO NOT use comfrey on open wounds or broken skin. DO NOT use comfrey if you have liver disease, alcoholism, or cancer.

When do you harvest comfrey for salve?

Once the oil is well infused (deep green and rich smelling), I’ll strain out the plant material and warm the oil with beeswax to make a salve. I like to combine comfrey leaf oil with comfrey root oil to make the salve. The roots are harvested after a few hard frosts; the leaves ideally before any hard frosts.

What can I do with comfrey?

7 Best Uses for 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.

Can I drink comfrey tea?

The risks of eating comfrey You can also drink dried comfrey root and leaves as tea. Today, eating or taking any form of comfrey by mouth isn’t recommended. It’s considered unsafe, due to the pyrrolizidine alkaloids that comfrey contains.

What is wild comfrey good for?

It is commonly used to treat osteoarthritis and lower back pain. The comfrey commonly grown in gardens and that sometimes escapes into the wild is Symphytum officinale. The leaves of this plant do produce pryrrolizidine alkaloids as a defense against leaf-eating insects.

Is comfrey good for skin?

Comfrey is considered to be an essential anti-aging ingredient, because it contains both allantoin and rosmarinic acid. Allantoin promotes the growth of new skin cells and rosmarinic acid acts as a painkiller and reduces inflammation. Comfrey softens skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Why is comfrey illegal in the US?

The pyrrolizidine alkaloids in comfrey can cause severe liver damage, liver cancer, mutagenicity, and even death. [8,9] For this reason, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned the sale of oral comfrey products in the United States.

How do you make comfrey tea?

Instructions

1. Add 1 teaspoon of dried comfrey leaves to a teapot or infuser.
2. Heat 1 cup of water to just shy of boiling.
3. Pour water over the tea leaves.
4. Allow steeping for at least 10 minutes.
5. Strain the tea and use appropriately (only consume if approved by your doctor).

How do you make comfrey ointment?

Instructions

1. Melt the beeswax over a double boiler.
2. Warm the infused oil gently so it is just warm to touch.
3. Pour the melted beeswax into the comfrey oil and stir well.
4. Remove from heat and let cool till it is warm to touch again.
5. Add the vitamin E and your choice of essential oils (vitamin E is a preservative).

What is comfrey tea for?

Comfrey is used as a tea for upset stomach, ulcers, heavy menstrual periods, diarrhea, bloody urine, persistent cough, painful breathing (pleuritis), bronchitis, cancer, and chest pain (angina). It is also used as a gargle for gum disease and sore throat.