Borago officinalis | Borage, Star Flower

Borago officinalis | Borage, Star Flower

Boraginaceae (Forget-Me-Knot Family) Pronounced Bor-AJ-ee-NEE-cee-eye

Pronounced buh-RAY-go  Oh-fiss-ih-NAH-lis

The word "borago" is from the Latin words "burra" meaning a “shaggy garment,” and "ago" meaning “like,” which refers to the hairy foliage.

I have seen many times on social media folks recommending this plant and I have never heard of it or experienced it, so when I walked by some seeds, I decided to try it. Thereafter I read that once you have it, it is hard to get rid of because the seeds spread so easily. Maybe I do not want it! To keep it from spreading, it should be removed before the seeds drop, but there are prickly things that poke the skin, so be sure to wear gloves.

The blue flowers have five narrow and triangular and pointed petals. The flowers smell sweet like honey and can be used to decorate deserts, cocktails, or frozen into ice cubes. However, the flowers have to be peeled off of the fuzzy and spiky bracts underneath, so it is a time consuming project.

Everyone says the flowers are so pretty, but they point down! I do not find them so pleasing in my garden. I actually think it is actually funny looking!

This plant is an herb. It is grown for culinary uses as a fresh vegetable or herb. It has a taste similar to a cucumber so it is used in salads. It is also used in soups, especially in German recipes. The leaves should be harvested before the prickly bristles develop. Um? I'm too busy most times to catch it before they develop!

The leaves are also good as chop and drop mulch to put nutrients back into the soil. I could do that I suppose. It sounds like the "cover crop" I learned about last year in 2023.

Symphytum (Comfrey) is also in the same plant family and both plants can be used to make a liquid compost fertilizer by covering with water and sealing tight the container for 4 to 6 weeks until it is smelly and brown.

Chickens also like to eat Borage, if you have chickens, which I do not.

If planted around other vegetables, such as beans and cucumbers, the Japanese beetles prefer the borage, so it keeps them off the other veggies. Plus the beetles are easier to knock off into soapy water from Borage than the other plants.

People also dry leaves to make a tea, but with it being a diuretic and sedative, I'm not sure if it is something I want to experiment with drinking.

If you have liver problems, you should not eat Borage as it can be toxic to the liver. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, do not consume Borage as it can cause birth defects and blood disorders. In fact, I read many different claims for medicinal uses for Borage, none of which I want to test. There are too many claims and too many side effects.

I think 2024 will be the one and only time I grow Borage and I hope I can keep it from reseeding.