Botanical Name: Borago officinallis

Borage is a great plant to attract bees to your garden.

Benefits & Uses of Borage: Diuretic, Respiratory, Skin, Women

Parts used of Borage: Flower Heads, Aerial Parts, Leaves

Parts Best used: Dried or Fresh

Ways to Prepare Borage: Elixir, Honey, Infusion, Poultice, Syrup, Tea, Tincture

Culinary Uses: The edible flowers are a great garnish or salad topping

Growing
Borage

Plant Type:
Annual

Sprouts in:
7-14 days

Days to Maturity:
50 - 60 days

Sun Exposure:
Full Sun

Plant Zone:
3-10

Planting Depth:
1/4-1/2"

Planting Space:
12"

Plant Height:
2-3'

When To Plant:
6 to 8 weeks before the last frost

Bee Pollinator

Container Friendly

Start Seeds Indoors

Plant Maintenance: Low

Frost Hardy: Borage are Frost Susceptible (When temperatures drop below 30°F for five to ten minutes or when temps remain in the 31 to 32°F. range for several hours, it will most likely kill the plant.)

When to plant outdoors: After last spring frost

Easiest To Grow From: Seed

Common Pests: Grasshoppers and Japanese beetles are sometimes attracted to borage

Common Problems: Borage can be susceptible to root rot or Fungal leaf spot

Growing Tips: Doesn't always do well being transplanted. Since borage forms a taproot rapidly, handle the seedlings with care during the transplanting process to avoid harming the root system.

Seeds & Companion Plants

Ease of Growing from Seed: Easy

Seeds can be saved. How To Save Seeds: It's a heavy self sower. The large black seeds fall out of the flowers and self sow, or pick the seeds before they fall out and save for the next season

Planting Veggie Companions:
Tomatoes     Peas     Jalapenos     Cucumbers     Cabbage     Beans    

Planting Herb Companions:
Basil    

Bad Planting Companions: Potatoes, Black Walnut, Fennel

Harvesting & Preserving

When to Harvest: Snip off young leaves in the spring and summer as needed. To harvest the leaves, harvest them when they're smaller and before the bristles develop.

Harvesting Tips: Cut or snip leaves and flowers with a garden snip or scissors. It makes a great compost like Comfrey.

**When foraging for wild herbs, be sure to pay attention to where you are getting it from. Be cautious about harvesting plants grown in potentially contaminated areas like roadsides, driveways, unfamiliar terrain, and areas that may have been sprayed with herbicides.

Pets & Borage

Borage Videos

This Plant Does EVERYTHING | Borage Growing Guide

How to GROW & USE BORAGE

How Do You Deadhead Borage?