Symphytum officinale

Has a very pretty & delicate flower but spreads quite fast so have to keep an eye on it. Good for ground cover under trees and odd areas where not a lot grows

I have a very shaded area under my magnolia tree. Would you recommend this to cover the fence behind? @angipangi I thought it could add a bit of colour.

@latebloomer Well I don't think it's considered to be fully hardy but it doesn't get much cooler than here for at least half of the year. I tried it first just in a border in back garden and it scrambled all over the place so I dug up some roots and put into the wooded area in front garden and it's doing well there too. I wouldn't say these were particularly cool areas but I think it's a good strong grower & it would be fine. (@mrsburns for info)

@mrsburns Not really climber but could be trained I suppose to climb but will happily grow below a tree as it is in my wooded area. What about the #climbing hydrangea #Petiolaris It's good for shaded sunless sites & has beautiful lush green foliage & gorgeous large white flowers that look like they are made of lace.It's not evergreen but once it is mature there's a beautiful woven structure of thick brown stems left over winter. Of course there's lots of clematis but avoid ivy as will take over

@angipangi This isn't Abelia as labelled! Its comfrey (symphytum) in the picture 🙃

Thank you @angipangi. I'll look into that. Sounds lovely. 😀

Stunning :)

@tash74 Well I don't know what to think if it is comfrey symphytum or not. It's got shrubby brown hard stems not soft green like comfrey. It has still the original label I put on it years ago stating #abelia grandiflora. I just went back up and checked it out again. I thought comfrey doesn't last for years some of them are just an annual crop. I'm confused now. Help @mrsburns @latebloomer

Oh, the plot thickens then! I have a feeling one of these guys will know for sure! @tiggrx @richard.spicer.7906 @mikethegardener

@tash I'm now beginning to have my doubts and wonder if further up from me in the chain named it wrong. Had a look at comfrey symphytum online at coffee time and it does look like it. What is puzzling is why is it behaving like a hardy perennial. On TV programmes they're always sowing comfrey. Will have to pay more attention in the future. Good job for this app otherwise I would have gone along with it. It's so close to looking like it that I never would have questioned. @tiggrx will know.

It is definitely a species of Comfrey. Most comfreys are long-lived perennials and can be very difficult to eradicate once established.

Thanks @tiggrx although to be fair @tash74 did identify earlier but I knew you would confirm Update @mrsburns @latebloomer same plant as described different name. Well done & thanks to both. 👏🏼