🌿 Borage

Borago officinalis

herbs Annual herb (self-seeds readily) Boraginaceae

☀️ Sun

Full sun to partial shade; 4-6 hours minimum.

💧 Water

Drought-tolerant once established. Moderate water.

🗺️ Zones

Annual everywhere; reliably self-seeds in zones 3-10

🧪 Soil pH

6.0-7.0 (tolerates poor, dry soil; prefers well-drained)

🪴 Soil Type

Well-draining, poor to moderately rich; pH 6.0-7.0. Tolerates poor soil. Too-rich soil produces lush leaves but fewer flowers.

📏 Spacing

12-24 inches apart

📐 Height

24-36 inches (can reach 48 inches)

⏱️ Maturity

50-60 days to flower

🍴 Edible Parts

🍽️ Flowers (best , cucumber-like flavor) 🍽️ Young leaves (sparingly , prickly when mature, PA concern) 🍽️ Seed oil

Key:🤝 Grows well together❌ Keep apart☀️ Sun needs💧 Water🗺️ Hardiness zone

🤝 Companions (13)

🤝 Apple Tree

Borage attracts pollinators to apple blossoms and deters codling moth; nutrient-accumulating mulch.

🤝 Basil

Attracts pollinators; improves essential oil production in nearby herbs.

🤝 Cabbage/Brassicas

Repels cabbage worms; attracts beneficial parasitic wasps.

🤝 Fruit trees

Excellent pollinator attractor , plant near fruit trees for better fruit set.

🤝 Legumes

Attracts pollinators; adds trace minerals to soil as leaves decompose (dynamic accumulator).

🤝 Squash

Attracts bees and other pollinators essential for squash fruit set.

🤝 Strawberries

Borage is said to improve strawberry flavor and vigor; attracts bees for pollination.

🤝 Tomato

Borage repels tomato hornworms and cabbage worms; attracts pollinators for better fruit set.

🤝 Winter Squash

Borage planted near squash attracts pollinators and predatory insects; its flowers provide nectar for bees that pollinate squash. Recommended by the Almanac as a squash companion.

🤝 Zucchini

Borage attracts bees for zucchini pollination; deters pests with its cucumber-like scent.

⚠️ Keep Apart (2)

⚠️ Fennel

Fennel's allelopathy may inhibit borage growth.

⚠️ Potatoes

Some reports of competition; evidence is mixed.

💊 Medicinal Uses

Conditions Treated

💊 Adrenal fatigue and stress (adrenal tonic , one of the best herbs for adrenal support) 💊 Depression and melancholy ('gladdening the heart' , traditional mood elevator) 💊 Dry, inflamed skin conditions (eczema, dermatitis , high GLA/mucilage content) 💊 Fevers and inflammation (cooling; promotes sweating) 💊 Respiratory congestion and dry cough (moistening expectorant; soothes irritated membranes) 💊 Rheumatoid arthritis (GLA is anti-inflammatory) 💊 PMS and menopausal symptoms (GLA helps regulate prostaglandins) 💊 Urinary tract irritation (demulcent , soothes urinary tract) 💊 Hangover (traditional 'morning after' remedy , source of 'borage for courage')

Preparation Methods

Borage tea: 1-2 tsp fresh/dried leaves and flowers steeped 10 min; for adrenal support, melancholy, and fevers (drink cool for fevers)
Borage lemonade: Fresh flowers and leaves infused in lemonade as 'cooling' summer drink
Borage tincture: 1:5 in 40% alcohol; 2-4ml 3x daily for adrenal support
Infused oil: Borage flowers in carrier oil for skin conditions (or use commercial borage seed oil , much higher GLA)
Poultice: Crushed fresh leaves applied to inflamed skin
Borage seed oil capsules: 500-1000mg daily for eczema, arthritis, PMS (commercial preparation , highest GLA source in nature at 20-26%)
Fresh flowers: Eaten as garnish , lifts mood (said to 'make a man merry')

Active Compounds

⚗️ Gamma-linolenic acid - GLA (seed oil , 20-26%) ⚗️ Mucilage ⚗️ Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (trace in leaves , see warnings) ⚗️ Saponins ⚗️ Tannins ⚗️ Potassium nitrate

⚠️ Safety

IMPORTANT: Borage leaves and flowers contain trace amounts of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) , these are hepatotoxic and potentially carcinogenic with long-term internal use. The levels are very low, but regulatory agencies advise against long-term regular internal use of borage leaf/flower preparations. Borage SEED OIL is PA-free and safe for long-term use. Avoid internal use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Do not use borage leaf for more than 2-3 weeks consecutively. Those with liver disease should avoid entirely.

📜 History & Folklore

🏛️ Ancient

Pliny called it 'euphrosynum' (bringer of gladness). Greeks and Romans used borage to 'make a man merry.' Dioscorides recommended it for 'fevers and inflammations.'

🏰 Medieval

'Ego Borago gaudia semper ago' , 'I, Borage, always bring courage.' Used in medieval wine cups to 'drive away sadness' and give courage. Celtic warriors drank borage wine before battle. Used to 'comfort the heart' during plague times.

🌿 Folk Medicine

Traditional European 'cooling cordial' for fevers. Key ingredient in 'cool tankard' drinks. Used as an adrenal restorative before 'adrenal fatigue' was a term. The flowers crystallized as decorative sweets. Borage and lemon balm combined for 'melancholy.'

🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Johnny's Selected Seeds Botanical Interests True Leaf Market Burpee Territorial Seed Company

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