Comfrey is usually found in rough ground or damp places like these that were growing near a river and throughout much of Britain. The yellow flower is native. The purple Russian Comfrey is widespread but not native as it was introduced from Russia in 1870 by Henry Doubleday who had a smallholding and as a keen inventor planned to use it for gum production but he was unsuccessful. The plant gained interest for its medicinal and forage properties and by 1884 was discovered in the wild. 
 A common name for comfrey was “knit bone” because the roots were ground to a paste and frequently used like plaster of Paris is used now to set bones. Within a short time the mashed ground roots would set as solid as hard wood.  Even today there are reports that people have successfully healed wounds by applying dressings that have been soaked in an infusion of comfrey or used a poultice. It could be used to draw splinters and was considered to be a “wonder herb.” Comfrey leaves were also sold to line shoes to ease aching feet of manual workers.  The main use of comfrey now is as a garden fertiliser with the leaves dug into the ground or to make a liquid feed and bees are very fond of the flowers.