Description of Borage

Appearance

• Borage plants grow 1.5 to 2.5 feet tall on average. Their thick, soft, green, branching stems are covered in a dense coat of sticky white hair. The leaves are oval-shaped, with deep veins and rounded tips. These leaves can reach lengths of up to 9 inches, with widths of up to 6 inches. Like the stems, the leaves are fuzzy and rough to the touch. Larger leaves are found near the base of the stem, decreasing in size as they ascend toward the flower clusters.

  During the summer months, the top of the plant is adorned with nodding clusters of five-petaled, luminous violet-blue flowers famous for attracting the attention of honeybees. Borage plants bear long taproots adept at seeking water deep below the surface of the soil.

  In warmer climates, borage may grow year-round. In cooler areas, it usually dies back in the winter and regrows in the spring.

Growing Conditions

• Borage is loved by gardeners for its ease of cultivation. It thrives in many soil types, and especially enjoys soil rich in organic matter. A bright, sunny spot with lots of room for the herb to spread is ideal. An area protected from strong winds is also preferable. Borage seed can be planted directly into the soil. For best results, water borage plants thoroughly twice a week.

History

• Borage traces its origins to the region surrounding Aleppo, Syria, one of the world's oldest cities. Traders and merchants consequently introduced it to Europe. Roman soldiers added it to their wine for courage in battle; the celebrated Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder asserted that the herb bestowed joy. Borage was carried with European colonists to North America where it was used as a foodstuff and an herbal remedy.

Culinary and Medicinal Use

• Borage leaves are edible and can be steamed as a green, eaten raw or added to soups and vegetable dishes. According to John Hemphill in his book "What Herb is That?," these nutritious leaves are high in calcium and potassium. They bear a fresh flavor similar to that of cucumbers. The flowers are also edible, and are sometimes candied as an ornate dessert garnish.

  Borage has also been used since antiquity as a medicinal herb. In "Handbook On Medicinal Herbs With Uses," author H. Panda reports that borage is used to induce perspiration, treat urinary infections, heal coughs and colds, and sooth irritated skin.