A Love Interest

A summer love interest:  Borage

What's to love - besides everything: 

• Borage (Borago officinalis) is also known as Starflower.
• Self seeding annual herb that can form colonies.
• Plant in full sun to partial shade (does best in full sun.)
• Tolerates very dry conditions after establishing.
• 20 to 40 inches high x 12 to 28 inches wide.
• Has a cottage garden informal look.
• The one-inch flowers come in white, pink and blue.  
• The blue is one of the really true blue flowers in the garden.
• The flowers and leaves are fragrant.
• Flowers from late spring until frost.
• Is a culinary and medicinal herb.

  

  A Burpee picture

• Valuable source of nectar and pollen for bees.
• Host plant for the Painted Lady Butterfly larva.
• Host plant for lacewings.  Lacewings feed on aphids, mealybugs, thrips, small caterpillars, mites, moth eggs and some scales.
• Is said to repel tomato worms.
• Because it attracts beneficial insects, it's a great companion plant for other plants in the garden.

This beautiful picture came from Burpee

What's to dislike:

Nothing!

So you know:

• It is native to Europe.
• The flowers hang down.
• Some people find the leaves irritate the skin but they are considered edible and taste like cucumbers.
• Flowers may be candied.
• It can colonize but easily pulls if it shows up in the wrong place.
• Most nurseries (Burpee for example) have seeds.

Borage Oil:

It is advertised as one of the richest natural sources of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA.)  Also has beneficial fats, fiber, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.  Said to have anti inflammatory properties and emollient properties for the skin.  (This is taken from an advertisement so do your homework.)  Do NOT buy it unless it says it's free of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA.)

Reminder:  Always do your research when using herbal remedies and talk with your doctor first if you're taking prescriptions meds. 

I have Borage planted among my daylilies.

Borage is one of my favorite garden plants and although I don't use it for food or medically, the bees sure do love it, too.  I'm willing share my love interest!