Wild Comfrey (Cynoglossum virginianum)

If you were walking along the South Forest Loop Road or the Cross Roads Trail in early April, you may have noticed numerous rosettes of broad green leaves emerging on the deciduous forest floor. By late April these plants developed a flower stalk with several clasping leaves, terminating in a small cluster of white to light blue flowers. By mid-May, the bristly fruits, covered with many "hooks" that adhere to ones clothing or to an animal's fur, are well developed. Wild Comfrey, a member of the Boraginaceae plant family, is found throughout the eastern US. Extracts from its roots were used by the Cherokees to treat a variety of ailments, and the leaves have been used to smoke like tobacco. The genus name, Cynoglossum, comes from the Greek referring to the leaf shape resembling a dog's tongue. Cynoglossum officinale, a related species introduced from Europe is commonly called Hound's Tongue. It has reddish flowers and is considered an invasive species in many western states.

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