Borage is part of the Borago genus and its scientific name is Borago officinalis. The officinalis part of this plant's botanical name means 'used medicinally'.
Borage is an excellent provider of organic potassium, calcium, and other natural minerals of benefit to plants. Honey bees like to feast on the blossoms. 2
Borage is an ingredient in the traditional recipe for a Pimm’s Cup. Improves the flavor of tomato vines when grown within a few feet of them. Young leaves and flowers have a cucumber flavor. Young leaves can be eaten raw or steamed and flowers can be eaten raw or used as decoration. The stems can also be eaten, just peel and chop similar to celery. Borage aids the growth of almost anything that is planted near it.
see a discussion here: http://myfolia.com/groups/63-herbs/topics/2135/posts#post_9373
This variety typically blooms in the following colours: Palatinate blue and Lavender magenta and Ghost white. The mature flowers take a clustered form, with an approximate petal count of 5. The leaves of this particular variety normally show as Grade 1 Paint Green and Napier green colour. It is a flowering edible herb / flower that typically grows as an annual/perennial, which is defined as a plant that can matures and completes its lifecycle over the course of one year or more. Borage is known for growing to a height of approximately 1.98 feet (that's 61.0 cm in metric) with a forb habit. Expect blooming to occur in early summer. This plant is a great attractor for bees, so if you are looking to attract wildlife Borage is a great choice. Consider Blue, White, Alba, Bill Archer, and Bianca to grow as they are very popular with home gardeners.Syrian Arab Republic is thought to be the country of origin for Borage.
Borage is great for inexperienced gardeners and those that like low maintainance gardens.
This plant info is provided by the myfolia gardener's wiki. All details about Borage have been kindly provided by our members.
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How to grow Borage
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Full Sun
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Partial Sun
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Medium
Borage will grow in most soils, even poor soils, but prefers well drained. It is drought tolerant, needs part sun-full sun, and doesn’t like too much fertilizer (too much nitrogen will cause less flowers to form). Borage re-seeds easily and is easy to grow.
from Om: It can be contained. Trim, pinch, hack it back. Also it won’t grow into non-sunny space, so other plants could out compete it. You can also put it in a container and move it around to which crop needs it now. At the end of the season, the roots are harvested for medicinal uses and also for use in stir fries and other mixed veggie dishes. They are nutritious, but don’t have a lot of flavor on their own. The do produce a long tap root, but do fine in containers. Um, due to concentrations of potassium nitrate [aka saltpeter], which makes them good for the compost or just burying or mulching with also (in small doses of course).
Growing Borage from seed
Can be sown outside when danger of heavy frost has passed. In mild climates it can be sown outside anytime. Not recommended to start inside as will not transplant well. The seeds need darkness to germinate.
Ensure a distance of 11.7 inches (30.0 cm) between seeds when sowing - look to sow at a depth of approximately 0.5 inches (1.27 cm). Soil temperature should be kept higher than 20°C / 68°F to ensure good germination.Transplanting Borage
Transplanting is not recommended.
Seed Saving Borage
Cut the flowering stalks and put in a paper bag to dry out for week or so. Shake the seeds out into the paper bag and check each of the flowers for seeds.
Companion plants for Borage
These plants have been known to grow well alongside Borage so consider planting:
Grow this herb in orchards and as a boarder for strawberry beds.2
Tomatoes benefit from growing near borage as it repels the tomato horn worm.3
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Borage loves Tomato
Deters tomato worm, and increases the growth and flavour of tomatoes.
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Borage loves Strawberry
Borage is a good attractant for honeybees. Strawberries will benefit if you plant Borage near the bed.
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Borage loves Alpine strawberry
Borage is a good attractant for honeybees. Strawberries will benefit if you plant Borage near the bed.
Repellent plants for Borage
These plants will not grow well with Borage so avoid planting these within close proximity:
Common Borage problems
These problems, diseases and pests are known to affect Borage plants:
Borage Etymology
Might be the Latin Borago or Corago from cor (the heart), and ago (I bring). Also could be from the Latin Burra meaning flock of wool. Or the Celtic term Barrach -a man of courage. The botanical epithet is from the Latin officinalis meaning “used medicinally”
Borage Folklore & Trivia
Borage is supposed to give strength of heart, courage, and joyfulness to anyone who eats the leaves or drinks wine in which the flowers or leaves are floating. It was given to warriors before going into battle and also sneaked into the drinks of men so they would propose. It was used as an anti-depressant.
smuggle some borageinto the drink of a prospective husband to give him courage to propose marriage 1
from Om: Dried borage leaf and flowers are also a fun party trick as they pop and sizzle when burned.
Other names for Borage
Starflower, Tailwort
Echium amoenum
Misspellings: boreage
Latest Borage Reviews
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27 Jan 2013
Ollie's borage was Reviewed day 688
Borage is a favourite in our cottage garden, the pretty blue flowers attract native bees which also love our tomatoes. Once planted borage will just keep popping up all over. A great compost addition.
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29 Dec 2012
KiriBean's Borage (OP) was Reviewed day 265
Grew like hotcakes. Large and healthy. Flowers lovely in salads.
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17 May 2011
Deanna's Borage was
Reviewed day 351
Easy to start from seed Self seeds Grows 2-3 feet tall Gorgeous blue flowers (add to salads/freeze in ice-cube trays to use drinks) and young leaves edible (taste like cucumber) Bees LOVE Borage
Borage care instructions
How long does Borage take to grow?
Footnotes
Popular varieties of Borage
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