Comfrey Crowns - Bocking 14 – First Fruit Farm

Comfrey Crowns - Bocking 14

3 Crowns

$26.99

Comfrey Crowns - Bocking 14

Plant once, perfect for cut mulch under your fruit trees.

$26.99

Crown Quantity 3 Crowns 12 Crowns 30 Crowns 75 Crowns

🚚 Ships Mondays starting Late March/Early April
✅ Live arrival guarantee
✅ 30-day establishment guarantee

Ready-to-plant crowns that typically wake up fast—often showing new growth in ~1–2 weeks in good conditions
Sterile Bocking 14: spreads by clumping, not self-seeding
Living mulch + nutrient accumulator: deep roots help cycle potassium, calcium, and trace minerals into your system
Chop-and-drop biomass: lush leaves for mulch/compost and homestead cycles
Hardy perennial (USDA Zones 4–9), farm-grown and trimmed for lower shipping stress

Bare soil under fruit trees after planting becomes grassy weeds, crusty dryness, and constant maintenance close to your expensive trees. The grass and weeds sap moisture and energy from your trees.

If you want a low-fuss understory that improves soil, produces dependable, in place biomass for mulch, and helps your trees thrive—without the risk of self-seeding or spreading—Bocking 14 comfrey crowns are the simple, plant-once, easy-to-establish solution.

Why these Comfrey Crowns work (and why Bocking 14 Crowns)

Bocking 14 (non-seeding) gives you confidence
You get comfrey’s benefits—biomass, pollinators, and soil cycling—without the worry of it spreading by seed.

Root crowns give you a strong head start
Crowns are a “ready-to-go” starting point: established plant tissue that typically breaks dormancy quickly when planted and watered in.

Made for orchard groundcover and mulch production
Comfrey’s deep roots and vigorous top growth make it a reliable producer for chop-and-drop, compost inputs, and perennial groundcover support.

Comfrey Crowns: Best for / Not for

Best for

Orchard understory groundcover and “under-tree mini ecosystems”
Chop-and-drop mulch and compost feedstock
Homesteaders who want a long-lived perennial biomass plant
Pollinator-friendly patches (purple blossoms attract beneficials)

Not for

Anyone who wants a plant that stays small forever
Situations where you can’t keep the planting spot from being repeatedly disturbed
Very small containers only (comfrey prefers room to root)
Large area comfrey establishment: Choose root cuttings for a more economical approach for these areas.

The simple 3-step plan for Comfrey Crowns

Choose your quantity: start with a few crowns per tree/bed and expand over time.
Plant & water in: follow the quick-start steps below—especially week 1 watering.
Cut & cycle: harvest leaves once established to mulch, compost, or cycle through your system.

What to expect

(Timing varies with temperatures and soil moisture.)

New growth: often ~1–2 weeks after planting in good conditions
First harvest: once plants are established and producing strong growth
Ongoing harvest: cut when foliage reaches about 18"; regrowth can be quick in the growing season (often several weeks)

Planting & Establishment Guide

Light: Full sun to partial shade
Spacing: ~18-24" apart (give them room to become a clump)
Planting: Set crowns so the growth points sit just below the soil surface; firm soil and water in well
Mulch: Mulch with a natural material such as wood chips or bark mulch if desired to maintain moisture.
Water: Water deeply at planting; keep evenly moist during week 1 (then water mainly during dry spells)
Maintenance: Cut back as desired once established; comfrey regrows vigorously after cutting

Top 3 success tips

Plant promptly after delivery (don’t let crowns dry out)
Water consistently the first week
Mulch lightly to hold moisture, especially in exposed sites

Comfrey FAQ

Yes—this is Bocking 14, a sterile comfrey type that spreads by clumping rather than self-seeding.

It doesn’t spread by seed, but it’s a persistent perennial where planted. Choose your location intentionally and avoid moving soil containing root pieces.

Plant your comfrey under fruit trees, along edges, or near compost systems — places where you’ll benefit from biomass and living mulch.

For patches, start with a few and expand as you learn how much biomass you want. Many growers build around 1–3 plants per tree area over time depending on spacing and goals.

Space 3 plants plants 1 1/2 to 2 feet apart in a triangle configuration for complete coverage under a tree.

Root pieces should be spaced about 1 1/2-2 feet apart. Measure the length of row you want to fill and divide by 1 1/2 to 2 feet to determine how many root cutting pieces you need. Closer planting results in quicker fill and more dense ground cover.

Harvest once the plant is established and putting on strong growth. A common rule is to cut when foliage reaches ~18" tall.

Allow first year plants to establish well before harvesting heavily.

After the first year you can harvest 3-4 times per year.

It can be grown in a large container, but comfrey prefers room to root and will perform best in-ground.

Some transit stress is normal. Plant promptly, water in, and keep evenly moist during the first couple of weeks.

Your plant should recover completely in a couple weeks.

Comfrey grows well in USDA Zones 4-9.

Comfrey Shipping and Guarantee

Shipping Policy and Schedule

We ship between Late March and November/December as the weather allows. We may also hold shipments during extreme heat/cold to protect live plants.

We only ship plants within the Continental United States. Orders to addresses outside of the Continental United States will be canceled (with refund).

Orders placed by Saturday 12 PM ET ship the following Monday/Tuesday to reduce time in the shipping system. If there will be a change in this schedule, we'll advise you of the expected shipping schedule after you place your order.

Bare-root comfrey products travel in moist shredded cardboard, with leaves trimmed to reduce wilting. Potted comfrey products travel in their pots wrapped in plastic, with leaves trimmed to reduce wilting.

Guarantee

Live-arrival guarantee: If your comfrey arrives unusable, we’ll replace it. Simply let us know - no photos, no hassle

30-day establishment guarantee: If a comfrey plant, crown, or root cutting fails to establish within 30 days during the growing season, we send a free replacement for failed plants on our next shipping cycle -no photos, no hassle.