Symphytum ×uplandicum

Russian comfrey, Russian Comfrey

Family: Boraginaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Russian comfrey is a naturalized perennial found in northern coastal California, Sacramento Valley, and as a waif in Yolo County, occurring in wet, open sites at elevations below 100 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces pink flowers that transition to purple and blue-purple, with blooms approximately 13 to 16 millimeters long. Growing with branched stems 60 to 100 centimeters tall, it develops a robust and spreading habit. Its leaves range from 5 to 15 centimeters in length, creating a dense green backdrop for the delicate flower clusters. The fruit develops small nutlets 3 to 4 millimeters long, nestled in a calyx that expands to 5.5 millimeters when mature.

Habitat: Wet, open sites

Bloom period: May-Jul

Elevation: < 100 m

Bioregions: NCo, n NCoRO, ScV (waif in Yolo Co.)

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.