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hey - i have quite a bit of comfrey. i havent been able to identify it positively, and i never get any seeds though i have tried for a few years. it seems to not make any. for this reason, and others (its the large kind) i believe it is one of the Bocking cultivars, either bocking 14, or the other that is the most common, and also sterile ...doesnt spread by seeds but rather roots.

if youre interested, let me know. i will send some for SASE/postage...

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i have a few since i have been doing a comfrey tractor...sort of...tractor. by keeping some good size roots growing in a pot, i keep moving the pot to where i want future comfrey patches...the roots grow through the bottom and then root into the soil there...and i keep moving it around =) its a good easy way to make different patches of it.

anywho i am somewhat convinced, after looking into it, that it is the 'bocking' cultivar...there are a few different ones with different numbers, 14 being the most common. i am certain it is one of the "russian" comfrey types, as these are all extra large and with the same color flowers...

but yeah it was here when i moved here...so i cant know for sure...but it matches 'bocking 14' and this is what i think it is...

leila, I'd love to have a piece of root from your comfrey. It looks very healthy and vigorous.We had some in Kodiak (AK) and it seems to me it bloomed a bluish lavender but I never tried to save seeds. I love the idea of keeping some in a pot.

If I can keep it in a pot I'd like to go ahead and accept your kind offer. Will it fit into a small flat rate box or envelope?

well i keep it in a pot (a BIG pot) mostly to move/transplant it around that way. it will quickly grow out the bottom and put down its very long taproot, then develop into a new patch in that area..

i dont know what use you are interested in from the comfrey, but it wont grow to its full potential if kept in a pot, you wont get as many leaves for fodder, mulch, or medicinal purposes. and it will keep trying to put down its large taproot through the bottom of the pot, so anywhere you place it will eventually plant itself there sneaking out through the bottom holes.

anywho it will depend on how much you want. i could fit some smaller pieces in a bubbly, i could fit a good amount of large roots into a flat rate bubbly...the priority mail bubbly is one of the best deal for flat rate.

some people cut up a large root, you can do this to get more plants eventually. even the leaves reroot, any small part of the root will turn into a comfrey part. sometimes when i mulch with the leaves, even the stem of the leaf will try to make a whole new patch of itself by rooting out...so its extremely easy to propagate. you can either plant the long roots whole or cut them into 2-3 inch pieces...to get more plants...

I can put it into a three to 5 gallon container to let it get a good start before I take it to MO to the farm. I want to use it for compost and for the chickens. I might even try some long term in pots here is AZ. I (try to) juggle gardens in two places and do a lot of "experimenting". I'll happily send you postage whenever conditions are right in your area for digging up some pieces. Just let me know.

and yes its a nice patch, this is the mother patch, the first one...and these pics are from a few years ago, even though i keep dividing them up its bigger than this...it spreads slowly, not too invasive, but every year it spreads a bit bigger by roots...

the beauty of living in california, is i am already in early spring rush mode. even though i live in the cold part of cal, spring comes really early and we have had some nice days to play in the garden already.

so yeah i am ready whenever you are. it is an extremely hardy plant, and not sensitive to cold...well the top parts may have die back for the year, but the next year it shoots up...as long as the roots are alive...well its a strong survivor, basically i think it would make it fine even if if your weather is cold.

so if you want a small amount i can do a regular bubbly, probably 3-4 dollars. if you want a larger amount we could do the priority bubbly, its currently 6$ for the flat rate bubbly.

Leila.message me your address and I'll send you $6.00 for postage. It might go into the mid 20's but unlikely to get any cooler than that. We only get that cold because we are at 5000 feet. I am so ready for spring but I battle all kinds of critters so stuff in pots, up on tables is a good bet. This sounds like a winner........ Anything you'd like back?

ok i will message. and no, i have too much to plant as is =) !

trying to just deal with what i already have lined up...

my email is not working right now but I can check here for messages

technical difficulties?!

anywho i am ready to send, but realized i havent got your address. i can ship out in the next few days...

If you have any more comfrey roots Id love to get some! Trying to get a patch started in Florida.