White comfrey, or pulmonaria?

[mothhawk]

I spotted something growing in a ditch which I thought was white comfrey. When I looked that up I found it is quite rare in the UK. The closest other plant I could find that might fit what I saw is white pulmonaria.

How can I tell the difference? It was low growing under an overgrown thorn hedge, and I couldn't see distinct spots on the leaves. Will take my camera on Sunday and get a pic or two.

[Jeanied]

Pulmonaria grows to about half the size of comfrey in my experience. And the leaves are slightly different shapes - comfrey being much longer and more sword shaped. Apparently you can make pulmonaria feed in the same way as comfrey

[VirginVegGrower]

Pulmonaria does have a spotted leaf. Comfrey to my knowledge does not. Do you have a pic?

[Glutton4...]

I don't think White-flowered Comfrey is that rare - we get all colours round here from deepest purple through blueish shades and pinkish to white. If it's growing wild I'd guess at Comfrey. Either way i'd want some - I like Pulmonaria too, and used to have several.

[veggiechicken]

I have white comfrey in the garden - don't know where it came from and it seems to be self seeding as there are several clumps in obscure corners, all at some distance apart.

[Two_Sheds]

white comfrey isn't rare

in fact it's called 'common comfrey' symphytum officinale

[roitelet]

Comfrey leaves are very rough and spear shaped.

[Two_Sheds]

^ and easily confused with foxgloves before they flower

[mothhawk]

white comfrey isn't rare

in fact it's called 'common comfrey' symphytum officinale

This is the one I thought it might be. Forgot my camera this a.m. But I WILL get pics - promise.

[mothhawk]

I don't think White-flowered Comfrey is that rare - we get all colours round here from deepest purple through blueish shades and pinkish to white. If it's growing wild I'd guess at Comfrey. Either way i'd want some - I like Pulmonaria too, and used to have several.

I do want some of this, it is very pretty, but don't want to go taking a trowel to it if it's rare in Leicestershire. If it's pumonaria I'll dig up a big clump.

I like the idea that I can make feed from pulmonaria the same way as comfrey, I've got a big patch of the common one in the garden that makes masses of leaves.

[Two_Sheds]

Ah, interesting. Symphytum orientale, looks like S.officinale

This site says it's widespread, lol !

I thought of this thread a couple of hours ago when I walked the dog past a huge patch. I'll take a picture next time and see which one it is

[veggiechicken]

Here's the white comfrey in my garden:

Is this the plant you've seen in the wild, mothhawk?

[mothhawk]

Here's the white comfrey in my garden:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]28542[/ATTACH]
Is this the plant you've seen in the wild, mothhawk?

Ah, thanks for this definitive pic VC. No, the flowers are much closer to the ground on the plant I saw - must be white flowered pulmonaria then. Very pretty though.

[mothhawk]

Well, I've taken a couple of photos, and now I'm not sure again. The flower stems have grown taller since I last looked at it. It smells a bit cucumbery when you bruise a leaf. I'm thinking maybe it is comfrey?

[Nicos]

sorry-I still can't tell!

Just a thought though- comfrey is pretty hairy underneath isn't it? Not so sure about pulmonaria.