Today I’m welcoming Leeann of One Ash Farm as she shares her special comfrey plantain salve recipe–this is a homestead must-have!
As we enter the summer months (yes, it will actually be summer soon!), the bug bites, scrapes, scratches, and sore muscles will start up again. This is a recipe for a very simple, highly effective, comfrey salve that covers all of those daily happenings.
Why Comfrey and Plantain?
Comfrey and plantain are two herbs that have been used for thousands of years for a variety of ailments.
Plantain is a well-known herb that is commonly used to reduce the pain and inflammation of insect bites.
It is also widely used to aid in reducing the itching of poison ivy rashes. Plantain is also known as an excellent healer of diaper rash.
Creating a salve using both of these wonderful, healing herbs, will give you an all-purpose remedy to keep on hand for these coming summer months. While I am not a medical expert, I think you will find that you and your family will grab your jar of Comfrey Plantain Salve for most anything, and will enjoy the benefits of natural healing!
Homemade Comfrey Salve Recipe
- 1/2 cup dry comfrey leaves
- 1/2 cup dry plantain leaves
- 1 1/2 cups olive oil
- 4 tsp. beeswax pastilles
- Rosemary essential oil – (how to purchase essential oils for wholesale)
Instructions:
Step #1: Make an infusion with olive oil and dried herbs.
There are a couple of ways to do this.
I use a small crockpot (that I picked up at a thrift store for $2.00!) and “cook” the leaves and herbs for about 3 hours.
You can also mix the herbs and oil and let it sit on the counter in a covered jar for 2-3 weeks.
Step #4: Once the beeswax is melted and the mixture is blended, add 20 drops of rosemary essential oil and mix thoroughly. Pour your completed salve into a container of your choice.
Comfrey Salve Notes:
1. Other essential oils can be used, but I prefer rosemary for its cleansing and preservative properties.
2. As written, this recipe makes a soft salve, add more beeswax for a firmer salve.
3. This recipe can be used for homestead animals too.
4. (Jill here: You can find more DIY herbal remedies and ideas for your homestead critters in Natural Homestead.)
Healing with Home Remedies
There are many different plants that have been used throughout history to create homemade remedies. Not only do they help us, but they can also be used to heal our barnyard animals as well. Some plants can be found in your backyard like dandelions which can make a Salve for muscles and Joints. Other plants are not exactly native, so you will need to find starts or start them from seed. If you are interested in learning more about healing herbs or growing a salve garden this article Top 10 Healing Herbs to Grow is a great place to start.
About the Author:
Hi! I’m Lee Ann, “momma” at One Ash Plantation, the homestead of our small, Christian family. We milk cows, raise bottle-fed calves, Nubian goats, more chickens than we can count, sheep, pigs, rabbits, pigeons, guineas, and 6 dogs.After taking a leap of faith away from a big-company career, I now help run our farm and dairy supply business and enjoy applying all aspects of homesteading. I am currently studying to be a Master Herbalist, and look forward to continuing the sharing of Homesteading information through our blog at One Ash Plantation Blog.
More About Home Remedies and Skin Care:
- How to Make Tallow Body Butter
- Herbal Home Remedy for Congestion
- 4 Fast Natural Cough Remedies
- Gardener’s Hand Butter
- Homemade Hand Cream Recipe (for hard-working hands)
I love the addition of Rosemary! Thank you for the post Lee Ann! I also add Vit. E oil to mine, it tends to help with healing. Where are you getting your Master Herbalist training? I have been looking into this and there are several programs. I would love to hear about your experience.
Blessings!
Thanks Lori! Vitamin E is a great addition, as it also acts as a preservative. As for my class- I am studying through Vintage Remedies and love it. The courses are all evidence based, so there is very factual information, in a useful format. If you have any other questions, I would be happy to help. You can reach me directly through the “contact us” on our blog or farm sites!
I made a similar salve last year with just plantain and it’s awesome! We have mostly used it on cuts and I swear it works better than antibiotic creams and the sort to heal them! Thanks for sharing. I’m looking forward to experimenting more with salves this year!
Alicia, salves are my favorite herbal remedy to make! So easy, and so many different combinations. I had made comfrey alone, but then added the plantain to gain even more of the good properties. Have fun and keep experimenting! If you ever have any other questions, you can reach me directly through the “contact us” on our blog or farm websites. Thanks!
Thank you so much for the recipe! Quick question though. I have blocks of beeswax that I use so can you give me an estimate of what the 4 tsp. of beeswax pastilles weighs so I can substitute the solid beeswax for them? Thanks 🙂
Rosina, thanks for the comment! I weighed out the 4 tsp. of beeswax pastilles and on my digital scale it says it’s right at 0.50 ounce. I think you will want to make sure your beeswax is finely grated to melt without further heating. If it doesn’t melt easily, you could always put your jar of infused oil into a pot of simmering water to keep it hot enough to melt the beeswax. Just don’t put a cold jar into hot water or it will crack! Thanks again, and if you have any other questions, you can reach me directly through the “comments” section on the blog or farm web site. Thanks!!
We’ve been looking into growing comfrey. Have you found a good supplier of comfery to buy? It seems expensive to buy the root. Have you had good success with the seeds?
MF, I actually just planted some yesterday that I got from a local nursery and it’s my first time trying to grow it. As far as purchasing the dried comfrey leaves, we actually sell it through our farm and dairy supply store. The website is http://www.OneAshFarmAndDairySupplyCo.com. If you have any other questions you can reach me directly through the blog, farm site, or the store sight using the “contact” us section! Thanks!
I love herbs & essential oils! I didn’t get any comfrey or plantain in my garden, do you know where I might get some? I also know marigold works really well for almost any minor injury. I do want to try this, though!
Thanks for your comment and question, Maggie! It’s so frustrating to want to try something and not be able to grow or find it! We actually sell comfrey through our farm and dairy supply store. The website is http://www.OneAshFarmAndDairySupplyCo.com. I think you could substitute marigold, or just double up the comfrey, if you aren’t able to find the plantain right now. If you have any other questions you can reach me directly through the blog, farm site, or the store site using the “contact us” section. Have fun!
Maggie, I have comfrey for sale if you are still looking. Have had mine for over 18 years and it keeps on “giving”.
Email me.
Lynda
i was wondering if you can make this with fresh leaves instead of dried…thanks for the recipe
Liz, I don’t see why you couldn’t use fresh. Since you are making a simple infusion, the processes are the same. Just make sure to pack your fresh leaves when measuring so you get the proper quantity. I am growing comfrey for the first time, so will be using only fresh in the future! If you have any other questions, or ideas, you can reach me directly through the “contact us” section on either the blog or farm site! Thanks!
Hello, although this question is a little old (I am writing this in spring 2019) I’d like to say although I agree with almost everything in this blog post, 🙂 I need to caution gently about using fresh comfrey in oil. Reason is comfrey when fresh contains water (of course), and water will come out into the oil along with the comfrey oil. Oil & water don’t mix; so you run a risk of getting mold in your preparation.
There’s nothing wrong with using dried comfrey; it needs to dry in a dark place, or as dark as you can manage, since light (esp. sunlight) can break down the lighter components of the oil
I’m so glad to hear of others using this wonderful plant!
Thank you for this word of caution! I was looking up how to make an infusion today as I have fresh plantain and comfrey! SO glad I came across your comment as this was just the question I was wondering about!
Where do you get the plantain leaves and comfrey leaves?
Hey Julie!
We sell Comfrey through our online store at http://www.OneAshFarmAndDairySupplyCo.com. The Plantain grows wild where I live. If you are unable to find plantain, you can either double up the Comfrey or substitute Calendula. If you have any other questions, or ideas, you can reach me directly through the “contact us” section on either the blog or farm site! Thanks!
Could you also sub dandelion leaves for the plantain?
When you use the crockpot, are you “cooking” it on low temps or high temps? Thanks for the recipe, I want to try this soon.
Paula,
My mini crock pot only has one temperature, “on”! But, it get’s really hot so I would think it is the same as high. If you have any other questions, or ideas, you can reach me directly through the “contact us” section on either the blog or farm site! Thanks!
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Thanks for sharing the recipe.. The best part is, comfrey and plantain work together to provide a perfect remedy to treat diaper rash, eczema, burns and psoriasis.
Yes!
I have my plantain and olive oil sitting in a small jar…what do I do after the 2 to 3 wks of it being in the jar?
What do you mix with the comfrey and plantain when you put them in the crock pot?
Thank you,
Gretta
I have been seeing many posts about using dandelion flowers in a salve to treat inflammation. Do you think that might work well with the comfrey as well? I am looking for something to soothe sore joints and muscles. Thanks!!
I looked up plantain and found that it does grow wild in most home yards. I went out into my yard and discovered I have quite a supply of it located all around. I also found a company that sell herbs and requested a catalog and am waiting for its arrival. While I have been doing the research on these plants I came across a warning about using too much comfrey as it has been known to over-heal by healing the top of a wound up before the inside was healed. What info can be shared about this and how much comfrey is too much? Thank you.
Too much of anything is potentially a bad thing. However, I believe what you’re referring to is not so much quantity used, so much as what to use it on and what not to use it on. Small cuts, minor burns, eczema, and such are all perfect candidates for comfrey salve. Things like 3rd degree burns, and gaping wounds are not something to use the salve on, because it is such a large, deep wound, and comfrey heals so quickly it would cause an abscess. Like any western medicine, or eastern medicine, be knowledgeable and use caution. And by all means don’t be afraid to use what the good Lord Himself has so kindly provided us with! 🙂
Mine doesn’t look as green as yours does. I put it in a crock pot on low for 3-4 hours and it definitely smelled like comfrey & plantain…why isn’t it bright green?
Thanks!
The green is apt to be from using extra virgin olive oil. Some olive oils even put green food coloring drops in it so it looks like EVOO, and they can charge way more for their cheap half-canola-crapola. So watch your base oil for purity
How long does it last?
Can you use fresh comfrey? Would the amount change?
Hi Lee Ann
I wanted to ask you what you would recommend for my goats hooves. The area that they have been grazing in has been wet from so much rain this summer. The hooves of 1 of my Nubians is rotting. I have been keeping it trimmed as much as possible. Is there any herbal mixture or salve you would suggest?
Can I substitute the olive oil with some other kind of oil?
Yep, that shouldn’t be a problem.
my local nursery guy gave me a nice bunch of comfrey still on the stem. i was wondering do i also cut the stems or just the plant leaves?
thanks
Hi Lee Ann, I’m new to essential oils and comfrey. I grow comfrey for fertilizing the garden and want to expand the use of this plant. In the salve, do you use just leaves or roots also? I only have one crockpot. One for everyday cooking. Will it clean up to be used again for food? This is very interesting.
I am featuring this salve in my blog that I will finish today. I put in a link to this page. I actually gave credit to the Prairie Homestead. Should I change this or do you think the link will take care of that? The rate this recipe is giving me a hard time adding stars, I wanted to give it the maximum.
“I tried making this comfrey salve from a recipe I got HERE from the Prairie Homestead. We had comfrey growing, I just gathered some broadleaf plantain that God had graciously provided, (I had dried and shredded the comfrey and broadleaf plantain) and picked some rosemary to just throw in the crockpot with it. I tried it out on a Monday putting some on my left arm that had been in a lot of pain (I was wondering whether I had cracked a bone as it had been hurting for a couple of weeks). By Wednesday morning my arm felt significantly better, and I assure you, it wasn’t from resting the arm. I had been drawn to it after reading that it help sciatica and I was actually wanting to make it for my neighbor, so we got together and made some. The rest, as they say, is history.”
Very interesting blog, love the information. I am a retired RN and have been making natural products for years, soap, laundry soap, creams. I make a lavender salve that is great for rashes, bruises, scrapes, safe for grands. I have just ordered comfrey, plantain, calendula, arnica plants to try to add the essential oil to my lavender salve for a healing salve for skin disorders, as psoriasis, and eczema. I can’t wait to try, I distill my oils, and plan to do all together in distiller. Hopefully it will work, will post results. I am going to start a new blog of natural recipes tried and true from plants grown on our farm in VA. I enjoyed this blog and will check back.
My mom makes a wonderful Godfrey salve using fresh concrete. It stores in the refrigerator for a long time. It might be worth adding a note that it should not be used for more than 2 weeks at a time, at the most, as it can be harmful to the liver. Not sure I would use it on an infant. But it is definitely a great home remedy.
Whoops, my speller didn’t want me to write comfrey! Comfrey salve using fresh comfrey!. Haha.
The study that showed comfrey taken internally caused a liver damage was done on rats and they were given comfrey in much larger amounts than a human would ever consume. Like the equivalent of drinking 40 cups of comfrey tea a day for years…
I have never heard of comfrey used used externally causing any kind of damage.
Great recipe! Thanks for posting.
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Thank you for sharing. A friend sent comfrey salve a couple years ago and it is incredible for shallow wound healing. I finally had to throw the remainder of the jar away last week as it had gotten rancid. It’s time to make some for myself. But, I do have a question. I’ve been told that the roots contain more healing properties than the leaves. What is your take on this? Since we have a great deal of comfrey growing in the herb garden, I can use a few roots in the infused oil.
What other oils can be used besides olive oil or coconut oil? Does avocado oil work?
All the chemistry references say that allantoin is not soluble in oil yet every herbalist reference I can find makes comfrey salve using oil.
I wonder if we are really extracting the allantoin from comfrey using oil or whether we should really be using a ethanol/water mixture? But if you did that, could you get the ethanol/water extract into a creamy oil base for salve? Thanks.
Super comment! Its mostly soluble in water and secondarily in alcohol; not in oil. I’m wondering if in a salve we’re NOT benefiting from the allantoin ( as in a poultice for a broken bone etc ) but other chemical constituents / phytochemicals in Symphytum officinal. worth exhausting….
My comfrey leaves are so itchy – I’m wondering if these little hairs end up in the salve and make ii itchy too? DIes a cheesecloth strain them out ok?
Thanks
This salve works fantastic on my cows teats as well. Her teats were looking dried out and she was indicating they were sore from her movements when I touched them. I started using this and her teats are now in excellent condition and I only use this about once a week.
How is the salve stored and for how long is it good for? Shelf life?
Hi there… I see that your article says that the salve is good for homestead animals too… would this be safe for a dog with joint issues?
It is probably safe in moderation. You might want to do a quick google search of the ingredients to make sure each one is safe for dogs first, just to make sure!