Plant Min Zone: 6a
Plant Max Zone: 9a
Sunlight: Part Sun, Shade, Deep Shade
Water / Rainfall: Low, Average
Soil Quality: Average, Rich
Bloom Season: Early Spring, Spring
Flower Color: Light Blue, Blue
Berry / Fruit Color: None
Spring Foliage Color: Gold, Yellow
Summer Foliage Color: Gold, Yellow
Fall Foliage Color: Gold, Yellow
Evergreen Foliage: No
Winter Interest: No
Scented Flowers: No
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Wet-Feet Tolerance: Low
Humidity Tolerance: Low, Medium
Wind Tolerance: Medium
Poor Soil Tolerance: No Extreme Soils
Height: 1' - 1.5'
Width: 1' - 2'
Growth Rate: Slow, Medium
Service Life: Long: 5-10 years
Maintenance Need: Low
Spreading Potential: Extremely Low
Yearly Trimming Tips: Trim Shrub to Desired Size After Bloom in Late Spring or Summer: Blooms on Old Wood.
Plant Grouping Size: Specimen Planting of 1-3, Small Grouping of 3-5
Best Side of House: East Exposure, North Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: None
Ornamental Features: Exceptional / Colorful Foliage
Special Landscape Uses: Groundcover
Possible Pest Problems: Weed Competition
Plant Limitations: Sometimes Mistaken as Weed
Sundew Oriental Borage / Black Sea Comfrey (Trachystemon orientalis 'Sundew') is a perennial with large textured bright chartreuse leaves with amazing contrasting light blue flowers. It is native from Bulgaria to the Caucasus and Turkey. This variety spreads very slowly by creeping rhizomes and forms an attractive groundcover. Foliage darkens slightly to green in summer and forms a quite dense and tight weed resistant covering. Comfrey prefers rich average to moist well-drained soils with part sun to full shade. However, being a tolerant plant, is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations and will grow quite nicely in dry shade. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. and is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. There is virtually no maintenance unless you want to mow down the dead foliage in the winter. It is also suggested to deadhead the flowers after blooming as they are not attractive. But if you don't, they will die back on their own and get swallowed up by the foliage. There are no pest, disease, or browser problems. Considered one of the best plants for solving your most difficult dry-shade landscape challenges. Trachystemon orientalis 'Sundew' has persisted through over a decade in our Lawrence, KS display garden with no problems. Our original display garden plant came from Plant Delights Nursery in North Carolina.