I've read that comfrey only spreads when you transplant it or dig around it - and that has been my experience. I've had comfrey in the gardens for 10 years and it hasn't spread once - other than a new plant I purposely started from a piece of root. I've also never had any seedlings take - and I do not have one of the sterile, supposedly well-behaved garden varieties. Different growing conditions can make for a wide range of results. I do grow both comfrey and elecampane. I find the leaves are very similar early in the season but elecampane quickly out-sizes comfrey. Both plants loose that basal rosette nature (as in the OP's picture) when they are are ready to bloom. Looking closer, the veining in the leaves of the OP's plant do appear to be more comfrey-like but I went out into my gardens and took some pix for the OP to compare to his plant. Elecampane Flower A young plant that planted itself which hasn't been taken out yet. It will quickly outsize the mature echinacea (2-3') behind it. Leaves on the flower stalk. Can see the velvet nature of the reverse-side of the leaves and the lighter color. Leaves can easily get 2-3'. Leaf - Reverse Comfrey Flower - mostly past here, a few beat up flowers left. Leaf- they are scratchy to the touch and at longest, maybe 1'. Leaf Reverse FataMorgana

I much prefer to upload my FULL sized photos to Photobucket.com, (it's Free!) then just copy the "HTML Tag" Just Below each photo on your photobucket page. Next paste that "Tag" into the message (right here) in the body of the post on GardenWeb. You can also do multiple Pic's in the same post. Simple and no resizing and you can see your pictures when you preview the post before you click the "submit message" button. HTH Chris Don't paste it on the link box below the post, just put it right in the message above or below your post.

Yes, it is Rose of Sharon. Another name for it (besides the proper name of Hibiscus syriacus) is Althea. This was the name I always heard growing up, many years ago. I love them and have always acquired at least one everywhere I have lived. When I see a color I don't have, I always ask for seeds. They are easy to grow and very pretty, I think. You can prune them to any size you want, too, in early spring before they leaf out and bloom. Probably afterwards, too!

Thank you all so much for being able to indentify this, and so quickly!! You have no idea how many have tried to find what this was. Ya know what's kinda funny, is I have a wandering jew plant in a large pot right there in the same flower garden, and tho I kept thinking how the runners looked somewhat similiar, I never questioned it further..lol. Well the mystery is over now, and I can start making plans on how to find a nice area to grow them. Again, thank you all.....Oh BTW...I never seen any blooms on mine nor have I ever smelled a scent coming from it,..but maybe in time with more maturity and better care..I'll post in the future how it's coming around...de