Symphytum grandiflorum - 9cm pot

Most of the members of this genus have 'comfrey' in their common names, but only Symphytum officinale is called just comfrey, without another epithet. They have traditional uses as medicines (on burns and wounds - eating or drinking extracts is not recommended) and for making fertiliser. They have sprays of flowers in various colours, usually rather small compared to the amount of foliage.

Symphytum grandiflorum is a useful ground cover, flourishing with us equally well in dry and damp areas, and easily controlled if it goes beyond its permitted bounds. It layers itself as it goes, giving clumps of tough leaves, above which are the flowers, off-white, with, as the wine buffs would say, a hint of apricot.