Comfrey: Also known as "Knitbone," comfrey has high levels allantoin, which softens and nourishes the skin while it protects it and stimulates cell regeneration. It was traditionally used to heal broken bones through the application of a poultice.
Chances are your great grandmother, or great-great grandmother had this in her garden to help with aches and pains when the doctor was either too far away or too expensive to call upon. How wonderful to now be able to tap into those old remedies with science-backed formulas for our own Comfrey Care Balm.
I harvest mine when the flowers are in bloom, ensuring the highest levels of allantoin are in the infused oil. It smells pretty strong and has these irritating small hairs on the plants, but after infusing the oil and filtering it a couple of times, the soothing and healing properties take over.
The deep green color of the leaves is powerful medicine on its own! You can't kill this plant. If you have some in your garden, plan on enjoying it where it is forever.
- Anne
When she's not seeing patients as a Nurse Practitioner, Anne tends to her farm & garden on the coast of Maine, with her husband Dr. Alan Barker. She enjoys researching the benefits of medicinal plants and incorporating them into her practice as a Certified Clinical Aromatherapist, as well as her Sweet Annie's Essentials products.
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