With spring in full swing, look out for one of our most striking and versatile British wildflowers – comfrey. You may already know you can turn the leaves into a free liquid feed, but did you know comfrey is also amazing for wildlife?
Providing an early spring wildlife boost with nectar-rich flowers, comfrey (Symphytum) is the RHS Wildlife Wonder April Plant of the Month, meaning our wildlife experts have highlighted it as a top plant we can all grow to support The variety of living organisms (plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms) in a particular environment. Boosting the biodiversity of your garden has many benefits, including supporting wildlife, improving soil health and reducing the likelihood of pest and disease problems.
Its deep, bell‑shaped blooms suit long‑tongued bees, and you’ll often see early solitary bees visiting on mild days. We’ll show you how to grow it, how to make a simple comfrey feed, and how to pair it with other wildflowers, as well as dandelions, red dead‑nettle and cherry blossom, for an April pollinator buffet.
In addition, alongside the UK A native plant is one that originated or arrived naturally in a particular place without human involvement. In the British Isles, native plants are those that were here during the last ice age or have arrived unaided since.
What makes comfrey great for wildlife?
Comfrey’s spring blooms support nest‑building bees and help hoverflies and butterflies refuel after winter. The bell-shaped tubular flowers are ideal for long‑tongued bees such as the hairy‑footed flower bee.
Bumblebees also feed on the flowers, sometimes stealing nectar via small holes they chew in the side of the flower. This is a technique shorter-tongued bees use to access nectar in tubular flowers such as comfrey and salvias, though this shortcut means the flower misses out on pollination, so it’s known as ‘nectar robbing’.
Later in spring, you may find bristly black and yellow caterpillars on the leaves – these are scarlet tiger moth larvae, which feed on comfrey before transforming into stunning day‑flying adults appear.
Where and how to grow comfrey
Plant comfrey in moist soil in sun or part‑shade and Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings.
Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.
Once established, some comfreys spread readily and where they’re happy can have a mind to take over, so either choose a spot where you can let it romp away or be ready to keep it in check if the space is small.
This property can be used to your advantage, though – low-growing comfreys such as Symphytum grandiflorum (creeping comfrey) make great low-maintenance groundcover for a tricky shady spot.
For a space where you don’t want it to spread, or an allotment or veg patch, the Gardeners often use the word variety when referring to a specific plant, but the correct botanical term is 'cultivar'. Whichever word you use, it means a distinctive plant or plants, given a specific cultivar name and usually bred to enhance certain characteristics, such as flower or fruit size, colour, flavour or fragrance, plant size, hardiness, disease resistance, etc. Additionally, it is worth knowing that, botanically, variety has another meaning - it refers to a naturally-occurring distinct plant that only has slight differences in its looks. For example, Malva alcea var. fastigiata differs from typical plants by having an upright habit.
Try pairing comfrey with Pulmonaria (lungwort) in a shady spot to extend the flowering season.
How to make comfrey feed
Comfrey leaves can be used to make a free, natural liquid feed for all your plants. Here’s a quick way to make this sustainable feed after your comfrey has finished flowering.
- Harvest – wearing gloves, cut comfrey plants back to the base to harvest the leaves. Remove tough stems and any flowers.
- Steep – pack the leaves into a lidded bucket or water butt, weigh them down with a brick, and cover with enough water to submerge them.
- Wait – leave this alone for 2–4 weeks. Expect a strong-smelling dark brown liquid to form, which is why it’s best to use a lid or sealed container.
- Strain and store – decant the liquid into re-used bottles to use through the season.
- Dilute and use – as a guide, dilute roughly one part comfrey liquid to 10 parts water, aiming for the colour of weak tea. Fill a watering can with a rose and water onto moist soil around hungry, flowering or fruiting plants.
Other top wildlife plants for April
See how many of our April Wildlife Wonders supporting cast you can also sneak into your garden:
- Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) – this often-overlooked
A term generally applied to non-woody, flowering plants that are natural to a particular area and grow there without human assistance. More accurately, British wildflowers normally applies to UK natives including plants introduced into the wild before 1500.
- Red dead‑nettle (Lamium purpureum) – this charming little wildflower is brilliant for establishing in lawns and provides a steady trickle of nectar and pollen in cool weather, particularly for early bees.
- Wild cherry (Prunus avium) – producing a mass of blossom, these stunning native trees are a magnet for bees. Wild bees and queen bumblebees are often especially effective at cross‑pollinating them so that cherries are produced.
Plant these wildflower wins – comfrey for continuity, dandelions for abundance, dead‑nettle for cool snaps and wild cherry for breathtaking blossom – for enough early nectar to bring a buzz to your garden.
