Comfrey Blossoms Close Up - Symphytum Stock Photo

Symphytum is a genus of flowering plants in the borage family, Boraginaceae. There are up to 35 species, known by the common name comfrey . Some species and hybrids, particularly S. officinale and S. × uplandicum, are used in gardening and herbal medicine. Comfrey is a perennial plant found in moist grasslands in western Asia, Europe, and North America. The hairy stems are branched. Between May and June it bears small bell-shaped flowers of various colours, typically cream, white, pink or purplish. The flowers are mostly visited by bumblebees. Internal or long-term topical use of comfrey is discouraged due to its strong potential to cause liver toxicity.