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How To Forage For Wild Comfrey

Comfrey is an incredible plant with many benefits. Namely, its medicinal properties. 

Comfrey roots and leaves contain allantoin - a natural chemical compound that promotes the growth of new skin cells. 

At the pharmacy, you can find a variety of comfrey ointments and creams which help treat bruises, blisters, sprains, and even broken bones. But wild comfrey offers similar healing properties.

As such, learning how to forage for wild comfrey can help save your life.

And, it can provide you with a source of natural medicine. Perfect for situations where you cannot get to a drugstore or hospital. 

Here's everything you need to know about foraging for wild comfrey.

How To Find Wild Comfrey

Comfrey is actually a wildflower. And, it grows in damp, shady areas. Comfrey flowers are bell shapes, and can come in a variety of colors. Usually, they are pink, purple, yellow, or white. And the leaves are large and oval-shaped.

The best time to forage for wild comfrey is in the spring or summer. 

This is when the plant is in bloom. 

During this time, you can collect the leaves, stems, and flowers. The roots can also be harvested, but they are best left in the ground to continue growing. 

Once you have harvested your comfrey, rinse it off. 

Then, you can dry it for later, or use it fresh.

Fresh comfrey can be used in many ways. The leaves can be added to salads or cooked green. And the flowers can be used to make a tea.

Additionally, you can use the fresh leaves as a bandage-like wrap for skin and bone injuries.

Dried comfrey can be stored for later use.

Once dried, the leaves can be ground into a powder and used as a tea.

Or, you can add the leaves to soups and stews.

In the past, people often consumed comfrey as a tea - or in a salad - to help treat a variety of aliments.

It was used as a remedy for bronchitis, colds, coughs, diarrhea, and ulcers.

While there is some modern debate over comfrey's effectiveness, many naturalists and herbal healers swear by the plant's medicinal properties.

Likewise, comfrey's allantoin properties do help promote skin cell regeneration.

And the plant can treat blisters, bruises, burns, sprains, and even broken or fractured bones.

So if you're looking for a versatile plant that's both edible and medicinal, you'll want to go out and forage for wild comfrey. 

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