At Durham's Earth Day this past Saturday BB helped co-facilitate the Eco Lounge, where we had the misfortune of being surrounded by a small group of extremely energetic Christian fundamentalists for 4+ hours screaming their lungs off and holding 'Repent' signs, we made it through by talking with lots of folks about our favorite plants.  Over the years, my affinity for Comfrey has continued to grow.  At the Trinity House, our 3 year old comfrey plants have already started to flower.  Comfrey is a dynamic accumulator, which means that it mines the subsoil for mineral nutrients that have been lost over time and can be spread as a mulch around other plants to create self-renewing soil fertility.  It also provides habitat for lacewing spiders and its flowers attract hummingbirds.  Its folk name is 'boneknit', because of its healing and medicinal properties which run the gamut from treating open wounds, bruises and sprains all the way around to cough syrup.  It is a superior weed blocker in the garden, requires little to no maintenance, and is beautiful, as well.  A number of people have asked if Comfrey is edible; I had heard conflicting things about that, but believe it was cleared up for me today when I came across an old Rodale gardening book titled 'Unusual Vegetables'.  I was surprised and delighted to see Comfrey there!:

"When Comfrey is grown primarily as a fresh vegetable, it needs to be cut back several times a year, whether or not you eat all the leaves...some people find the taste superior to spinach, and has a faint taste of cucumber...For best flavor and tenderness, the leaves should be eaten when young, preferably not more than 6 inches long, and can be chopped and eaten raw in salads or cooked like collards.  Comfrey has lots of vitamins A and C and contains large amounts of calcium, phosphorous, and pottassium, as much protein as alfalfa, and vitamin B12, which is almost never found in plants.  The leaves can also be blended with fruit juice and frozen into ice pops." (1978: 127)

Ok, the last bit about ice pops is strange, but everything else sounds more than legit.  Cut back that comfrey and let it grow the short leaves and get to eating some homegrown perennial vegetables from your yard!