The Beautiful Ground Cover That Naturally Fertilizes Fruit Trees

While you may already know what ground covers are and if you really need them, you may still be looking for a ground cover that is beautiful and helps support fruit trees. We spoke exclusively with Tiffany Selvey, House Digest's Garden Editor and in-house Master Gardener, who recommended comfrey (Symphytum officinale) as a great ground cover around fruit trees.

The comfrey plant is primarily a leafy green plant that can sprout small, hanging, yellow, purple, or white flowers. Selvey shared that comfrey is a worthwhile ground cover because it helps fertilize fruit trees. "Historically — and still today — comfrey has been used in salves to help wounds and sprains heal more quickly," she said. "That's because all those nutrients that are otherwise unavailable to most plants are stored in the comfrey leaves."

Selvey suggested that when the leaves of the comfrey plant begin to die in the cold, you should leave the plant alone and not remove them. The leaves will become mulch that provides the fruit tree with nutrients and winter protection. Then, when the plant returns in the spring, it is able to continue helping the fruit tree for years to come.

While comfrey – a plant you should grow in your garden for healthy soil and an easy DIY fertilizer – can be a great benefit to your garden, there are some things you should know before planting this ground cover. When House Digest spoke exclusively with Tiffany Selvey, she shared that a drawback of this plant is how easily it can spread. Because of this, in Oregon, comfrey is considered an invasive species. Make sure to check your local extension office to know if it's safe to plant comfrey in your garden. And if you can't add comfrey to your yard, check out these other ground cover plants that love shade for options that may work better!

Selvey explained that while comfrey does spread, it's fairly easy to remove. It's important to remove all its roots, though, or you may notice it returning. "Comfrey should be considered a commitment," Selvey said. "You can easily keep it within its desired area by mowing or weed whacking the plants that spread too far beyond the boundary. This plant does not spread by seed, so you don't have to worry about it popping up in other areas." Comfrey is one plant that you should be 100% sure you want to have in your garden before adding it.

If you decide you want to plant comfrey around your fruit trees (and it is safe to do so in your area), you will need to know how best to take care of it, as you would before adding any new plant to your garden. When Tiffany Selvey spoke exclusively with House Digest, she shared her tips on how to keep this plant thriving. "Comfrey requires almost no maintenance, especially if you're using it to create a fertilizing ground cover," Selvey said.

Other than trimming the plant back to keep it controlled within the boundary, this plant really has no other special needs. This makes it especially great for a low-maintenance garden. So if you have fruit trees in your yard, you want to help them grow, and comfrey isn't an invasive species in your area, give it a try! You may be surprised how much you like this plant.