This is Symphytum officinale Rubrum, a compact form of Comfrey, it grows to only 18 inches high but as misbehaved as the normal species. It's a great ground cover and the bees love it. It's just started to flower and will probably continue to flower until August.
I like it Baa!! But if as you say it's as notorious as the tall one then I don't know if I could handle it. But, wait a minute, my meadow could - right??? I used to make fertilizer from comfrey before digging the whole lot up :-)
I have to say I don't have much problem with any of my Comfrey plants, they seem to be happy to grow slowly. It would certainly suit a meadow, or even close to any stagnant water.
Stagnant water I don't have!! Baa, not slow for me, they took over mercilessly!! So in the hot meadow they wouldn't crowd out the other wild flowers, is that what you are saying?? The heat could slow them right down I suppose!!
I'm not sure how they would react on your land, on this heavy clay in shade they just creep about. Meadows are generally moist/wet land, does meadow have a different meaning in the US?
Such a pity it can be a thug because the roots draw up minerals locked away deep in the subsoil from most plants and they are a good water cleaner too.
Baa my meadow to be is open land. Cleared forested land - red clay. Pine and hardwoods!! I didn't ask for it to be cleared by the way. The builders said the area was my second drain field if I needed it!!!! (For the septic system). So what's happening now, after a year of lying
fallow, new seedlings are emerging. I suspect trees, wild flowers etc. Cant't see how many of them will survive since their natural habitat and canopy has disappeared :-(
The wild flowers anyway!! But if trilliums come up, I shall move them back into the forest. Anyway, that is my meadow or will be with a bit of luck!! (Slopes downhill too)
I hope you'll tell us what comes up Louisa, it will be interesting to see what grows.
With the 'Set Aside' scheme here, a proportion of once cultivated land has gone into permanent fallow, but it will just turn into scrub land as it's been cultivated for so many years. Sometimes they are planted up for conservation areas, it's interesting to see how some of the land develops over the years.
That's a pretty one Baa. I was happy to see my variegated comfrey made it through the winter. I wasn't sure it would. It was just a baby last year so this season it should get much bigger.
Baa this land was always used for the timber business - hence the lack of girth on my trees but it will be interesting to see what emerges - almost reverting to scrub land now!! Great huh!!
Baa
can i trade with you or send postage for some of your red comfrey? oops just saw the UK part wonder if we get in trouble for sending root peices
OOOPPPPssss should check my own threads more often!
Poppysue
That's great news, is the vareigated one you have S x uplandicum? If it is then my own unvariegated uplandicum didn't show any leaves until late April. I really didn't want to lose it! The golden leaved comfrey did the same to me to and yet the other 3 are up and happily growing. I think I shall move the other two this year.
Louisa
It'll be fun seeing what appears. You could have a copse area.
Troy
Both you and myself would be risking a fine, I know other people send plants to your and my countries but I'm the sort of person who gets pulled over the day my car tax is a day over due and I really don't want to risk it. Symphytum 'Rubrum' isn't a rarity but it is uncommon and you do need to search for it. H & H Botanicals in MI is one nursery that supplies it for $5.50.
http://www.handhbotanicals.com/2002s.html
