Borago officinalis
Borage
an annual member of the Borago genus in the family Boraginaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Boraginaceae
- Genus
- Borago
- Life cycle
- annual
- Height
- 0.6 m
- Spread
- 0.3 m
- Fertility
- Bees
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees
Uses
Toxicity
Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The plant, but not the oil obtained from the seeds, contains small amounts of pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can cause liver damage and liver cancer[15]. These alkaloids are present in too small a quantity to be harmful unless you make borage a major part of your diet, though people with liver problems would be wise to avoid using the leaves or flowers of this plant[K].
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Leaves - raw or cooked[10][19][20][5][3][8]. They can be used as a pot-herb or be added to salads[18]. They are also added whole as a flavouring to various drinks such as Pimms and wine-based drinks[15]. The leaves are rich in potassium and calcium, they have a salty cucumber flavour[12]. Very hairy, the whole leaves have an unpleasant feeling in the mouth and so they are best chopped up finely and added to other leaves when eaten in a salad[K]. The leaves should always be used fresh, because they lose their flavour and colour if dried[16]. Flowers - raw. They are used as a decorative garnish on salads and summer fruit drinks[10][19][20][5][8]. The flowers are very nice, both to look at and to taste with a sweet slightly cucumber-like flavour[K]. A refreshing tea is made from the leaves and/or the flowers[14][8]. The dried stems are used for flavouring beverages[8]. The seed yields 30% oil, 20% of which is gamma-linolenic acid[6]. Total yields are 0.35 - 0.65 tonnes per hectare[6]. Unfortunately, the seed ripens intermittently over a period of time and falls from the plant when it is ripe, this makes harvesting the seeds in quantity very difficult[K]. An edible blue dye can be obtained from the flowers. It is used to colour vinegar[8].
- Product or use
- Colouring
- Product or use
- Oil
- Product or use
- Tea
- Plant part
- Flowers
- Plant part
- Leaves
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Borage is a fairly common domestic herbal remedy that has been used since ancient times[16]. It has a particularly good reputation for its beneficial affect on the mind, being used to dispel melancholy and induce euphoria[16]. It is a soothing saline, diuretic herb that soothes damaged or irritated tissues[15]. The leaves, and to a lesser extent the flowers, are demulcent, diaphoretic, depurative, mildly diuretic, emollient, expectorant, febrifuge, lenitive and mildly sedative[18][20][21][5][13][15]. An infusion is taken internally in the treatment of a range of ailments including fevers, chest problems and kidney problems[18], though it should not be prescribed to people with liver problems. Externally it is used as a poultice for inflammatory swellings[18][20]. The leaves are harvested in late spring and the summer as the plant comes into flower. They can be used fresh or dried but should not be stored for more than one year because they soon lose their medicinal properties[15]. The seeds are a rich source of gamma-linolenic acid, this oil helps to regulate the hormonal systems and lowers blood pressure[15]. It is used both internally and externally, helping to relieve skin complaints and pre-menstrual tension[15].
- Product or use
- Demulcent
- Product or use
- Depurative
- Product or use
- Diaphoretic
- Product or use
- Diuretic
- Product or use
- Emollient
- Product or use
- Expectorant
- Product or use
- Febrifuge
- Product or use
- Hypotensive
- Product or use
- Lenitive
- Product or use
- Poultice
- Product or use
- Sedative
- Product or use
- Skin
- Product or use
- Women's complaints
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The growing plant is said to repel insects[5]. A blue dye is obtained from the flowers[20]. This turns pink on contact with acids[15].
- Product or use
- Dye
- Product or use
- Repellent
Environment
- Range
- C. Europe. A garden escape in Britain[7].
- Habitat
- Waste ground near houses in Britain[7].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 7+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerances
- drought
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- tolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A very easily grown plant, succeeding in ordinary garden soil[1], preferring a dry soil[17] and a sunny position[4]. It grows particularly well in loose, stony soils with some chalk and sand[16]. Plants are tolerant of poor dry soils, though much bigger specimens are produced when the plants are growing in better conditions[15]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.8 to 8.3. Borage is often grown as a culinary plant in the herb garden[1][20]. Although an annual, it usually maintains itself by self-sowing, sometimes in quite a prolific manner, as long as the soil is disturbed by hoeing etc[5][9]. Plants often develop mildew when growing in dry conditions or towards the end of the growing season[15]. Flowers are a deeper blue when grown in poorer soils[4]. The flowers are rich in a sweet nectar and are very attractive to bees[20][5][11][2][16]. The growing plant is a good companion for strawberries, tomatoes, courgettes and most other plants[5][13][15]. It is said to deter Japanese beetle and tomato hornworms[15].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association. 1981-00-00
Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.
Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan. 1989-00-00
Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-262-7
Carruthers. S. P. (Editor) Alternative Enterprises for Agriculture in the UK. Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Univ. of Reading 1986-00-00 ISBN 0704909820
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-304-34324-2
Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30725-8
Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant. Blackie and Son. 1878-00-00
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219060-5
Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2