Borago officinalis (Borage)

Borage is one of the easiest and most beautiful annual plants in the garden.

What is Borage?

• Borage is a member of the forget-me-not family, Boraginaceae, which includes comfrey, heliotrope, lungwort, or Siberian bugloss.
• Native to the Mediterranean region, Borage (Borago officinalis) is a spreading annual boasting a profusion of open racemes of beautiful, star-shaped, bright blue flowers from early summer to the first frost.
• The slightly nodding blossoms rise atop stems clad with wrinkled, gray-green, fuzzy leaves.
• The plant grows 1-3 ft. tall (30-90 cm) and 9-24 in. wide (22-60 cm).
• It has been used since ancient times for medicinal and culinary purposes.
• Borage is a welcomed addition to beds and borders, wildlife gardens, herb gardens, vegetable gardens, containers, or cottage gardens.
• If allowed to set seed, this annual plant will self-sow without being invasive. It will remain in the garden year after year. However, excess plants are easy to remove from the garden.
• This fascinating herb is low care and relatively pest and disease-free.
• It is deer and rabbit-resistant but toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.

Is Borage Edible?

• The flowers are also edible with a fresh cucumber flavor. They add beauty and flavor to salads and can be candied in desserts. Not to forget, they float beautifully on cocktails.
• You can harvest the fuzzy leaves for use in salads and cold drinks!

Borage and Wildlife

• Borage provides prodigious amounts of pollen and nectar, becoming a magnet for bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. Honeybees feast on the blossoms.
• It also attracts a wide variety of beneficial insects, such as parasitic wasps, hoverflies, and lacewings, which prey on garden pests.

Borage Health Benefits

• Both flowers and leaves are used for fever, cough, and depression.
• The leaves are rich in vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and trace minerals.
• Thanks to its rich level of omega-6 fatty acids, Borage oil is anti-inflammatory.
• However, Borage should not be used in high doses or over long periods. It can become a source of health problems such as liver issues, bleeding, or seizures.

Growing Borage

• Borage thrives in fertile, well-drained soils in full sun to light shade. However, it can be grown in nutrient-poor soils.
• Choose a planting site carefully: this plant dislikes transplanting.
• Prepare the soil in advance by adding organic matter or compost.
• Start seeds indoors in peat pots or sow directly in the garden in early spring when the soil has warmed. The plant can also be grown in containers.
• Sow seeds about ¼ to ½ inch deep (½ – 1 cm). Water thoroughly after planting. It will sprout in five to 15 days and reach maturity in about eight weeks.
• Thin seedlings 18-24 in apart (45-60 cm), when they are 6-8 inches tall (15-20 cm).
• If grown in rows, rows should be 18-24 inches apart (45-60 cm).
• Borage is drought tolerant but needs to be regularly watered until established. Once the plant matures, you can allow the soil to dry out between waterings.
• Mulch to retain moisture and control weeds.
• No fertilizer is needed.
• Prune back by half the plant’s size in midsummer to promote new, tender leaves for late summer harvest.
• The plant is propagated by seed.

A Wonderful mulch

• Borage adds trace minerals and enriches the soil it is planted in, making it great for mulching or composting.

Harvesting and Storing

• Harvesting or deadheading will keep your Borage in bloom longer.
• You can start harvesting leaves and flowers about eight weeks after planting.
• They are best eaten fresh after harvesting. You can also store them in the refrigerator for a few days.

Pests and Diseases

Borage is not affected by serious pest or disease issues.

• Pests: Look for aphids, slugs, snails, and leaf-mining flies that may damage the foliage.
• Diseases: powdery mildew.

Companion Planting

Borage is an excellent companion plant in the garden. It attracts bees in the garden, adds trace minerals to the soil, and aids any plants it is interplanted with by increasing their resistance to pests and disease.

• Cabbage: Borage deters cabbage worms.
• Strawberries: It increases their resistance to pests and disease.
• Squash: It helps to deter worms and improve the growth and flavor of summer squash or winter squash.
• Tomatoes: It deters tomato worms and enhances the tomato’s flavor and growth.
• Borage acts as a slug and snail trap, deterring these garden pests from your favorite vegetables.