Dwarf comfrey grows to about 18 inches tall and spreads steadily via creeping rhizomes, filling in shaded borders and woodland edges with a dense mat of rough-textured green leaves. The yellow tubular flowers appear in spring and are worked over reliably by bees. Its compact stature makes it a better-mannered choice than its larger relatives in most garden situations, though it will colonize given time.

Gardeners who know plants value comfrey as much for what it does below ground as above it. The deep roots mine nutrients from the soil and store them in the foliage, making the leaves a genuine asset in the compost pile or brewed into a potassium-rich liquid fertilizer. Grow it in full sun to part shade in organically rich, well-drained soil in zones 5 through 8. Its spreading habit means it can outpace its welcome in small borders, but in a naturalized planting or between larger shrubs, it becomes a genuine workhorse.