Species library · Plants & herbs

Foraging Tuberous Comfrey

Symphytum tuberosum

Typically in season from May to August in the northern hemisphere. Found in Woodland, Woodland edges, Scrub & hedgerows. Has toxic lookalikes, so check carefully.

Tuberous Comfrey (Symphytum tuberosum)

Photo: (c) Patrick Hacker, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Patrick Hacker · iNaturalist

When Tuberous Comfrey is in season

Typical window in the northern hemisphere, peak May to August. The southern hemisphere runs about six months offset, and your own timing depends on local weather, so check your town.

→ Everything in season to forage in September

Where it grows

Tuberous Comfrey is usually found in Woodland, Woodland edges, Scrub & hedgerows.

⚠ Look-alikes & safety

Deadly look-alikes: Foxglove, Common comfrey, Houndstongue. Only forage with a confident ID.

Take Tuberous Comfrey into the field

Open Tuberous Comfrey in the Forage app for its full field guide entry with more photos, key features and toxic lookalikes to check against. Add it to your watchlist and the app pings you the moment it comes into season at your exact spot, worked out from live weather, elevation and billions of occurrence records.

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Tuberous Comfrey: common questions

When is Tuberous Comfrey in season?

Tuberous Comfrey is generally in season from May to August in temperate northern regions. The exact timing shifts with latitude, elevation and each year's weather. Check the Season Finder for your own location.

Where does Tuberous Comfrey grow?

Tuberous Comfrey is usually found in Woodland, Woodland edges, Scrub & hedgerows.

Is Tuberous Comfrey safe to forage?

Deadly look-alikes: Foxglove, Common comfrey, Houndstongue. Only forage with a confident ID. Never eat any wild plant, berry, nut or mushroom unless you are completely certain of the identification. Check every find against a reliable field guide, and when in doubt, don't.

One note before you head out

Forage helps you discover and identify wild plants, but identification is never 100% certain. Many edible plants have toxic lookalikes. Never eat anything you find based only on what this app tells you. Always confirm with a field guide, an experienced forager or a local expert. The season score tells you where to look, too: it’s not a guarantee. Mind conservation law and property rights as well.

Species photos via Wikimedia Commons and iNaturalist · full credits