I’m growing borage again! This lovely and versatile herb was missed from the garden last year (except for that one volunteer plant), but I planted quite a lot this May and right now the little plants have a span of about 8 inches…
Borage (Borago officinalis) is an absolutely lovely–and perhaps underrated?–plant native to the Mediterranean, but it grows wonderfully here in Kansas, too. Not only are the flowers a gorgeous, brilliant shades of violet, but bees and other pollinators love it (hence it sometimes being referred to as “bee bush” and “bee bread.”)
Uses & Benefits
If the beauty of this plant alone wasn’t enough to entice you to plant it, borage has many other benefits. As mentioned above, it is a favorite among pollinators and its rich nectar will benefit them as they visit your garden.
The flowers and leaves can be used in cooling drinks, soups, and salads. They have diuretic, expectorant and anti-inflammatory properties, and are used to aid a host of ailments, including rashes and inflammation, heart disease, asthma, colds, and more. And as the Latin proverb goes, “Ego Borago, Gaudia semper ago” (“I, Borage, bring always courage”)!
But as with other herbs, please use caution and make sure there won’t be any side-effects or interactions with any medication you may be taking. If you have liver problems, are pregnant or nursing, it’s recommend that you avoid borage. Borage contains hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) which can be harmful or interact with medications. (Read more here.)
Borage is also great for use as a cover crop and green manure. It removes heavy metals from the soil, while also bringing up nutrients with its long taproots, and aerating the soil, to boot.
To use as a green manure, simply leave the plant to die and wilt naturally and go back to the soil. You can also use the chop-and-drop method to create mulch from the plant after you cut the leaves or pull up the plant.
I’ve heard that borage is supposed to repel tomato hornworms, but I haven’t seen this yet (maybe my tomatoes need to be closer for this to work!) The borage plant itself, though, is pest resistant.
Growing
Borage is fairly easy to grow and though an annual, has the potential of popping up in subsequent years as it will readily self-seed. It’s not particular about soil quality and can grow in full sun or semi-shade, but does enjoy ground that’s well-drained. In fact, it’s fairly drought tolerant so it won’t suffer too much if you forget to water!
You can start your seeds indoors a few weeks before the last frost (especially if you have a shorter growing season), but I’ve found sowing directly into the ground after the last frost works fine as well. Though they don’t mind a little drought, I’d recommend keep your soil moist until they sprout.
This plant can get relatively large (up to 3′ tall and 2′ wide), so be sure to space them out a bit! (Something I neglected to do this year!)
What do you think? Are you ready to try some borage?
