Borage (Borago officinalis) is an annual herb in the family Boraginaceae. It is native to the Mediterranean region and has naturalized in many other places. It grows to a height of 60-100 cm (24-39 in) and has hairy leaves and stems with small, blue flowers. The flowers are edible and are often used in salads or as a garnish. The leaves can be used in soups and stews.
Botanical Name: | Borago officinalis |
Other Names: | Starflower, Bee Bread |
Type of Plant: | Annual herb |
Size and Appearance: | Grows to 24 inches tall, with small, star-shaped flowers that are typically blue but can also be white, pink, or violet. |

Planting Time:
Spring.

Blossoming Time:
Summer.

Propagation:
From seed.

Sun:
Full sun.

Temperature:
Germinates best around 60°F (15°C)

Soil:
Rich, well-drained soil.

Watering:
Needs a moderate amount of water.

Fertilize:
Every 2-3 weeks with a water-soluble fertilizer for herbs.

Uses:
The oil from the plant’s seeds can be used in cosmetics and as a cooking oil; the plant is also used as an ornamental and the flowers are edible and are often used in salads or as a garnish.
Table of Contents
ToggleHow to plant and grow Borage in the garden

Before you start planting and growing your own borage, you will either need a borage plant or some borage seeds.
There are many places where borage plants can be bought. However, the best place to buy borage plants is at a local nursery or garden center. This is because they will have the most knowledge about the plant and will be able to give you the best advice on how to care for it.
There are many places where borage seeds can be bought. A good place to start is a local nursery or garden center. They will usually have a wide variety of borage seeds to choose from. Another option is to purchase them online from a reputable seed company. The best place to buy borage seeds is from a company that specializes in selling them. This way, you can be sure that you are getting high-quality seeds that will germinate and grow well.
How to plant borage seeds in the Garden:
- Choose a sunny spot in your garden with well-drained soil.
- Prepare the soil by digging in some organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure.
- Sow the seeds directly into the soil in early to mid-spring, about 1cm (0.5in) deep.
- Thin out the seedlings to about 30cm (12in) apart once they have reached a few centimeters in height.
- Water regularly, especially during dry spells, and keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.
- Apply a liquid fertilizer every few weeks during the growing season.
- Once the plants are in flower, you can start harvesting the flowers for use in salads, as a decoration, or to make borage cordial.
- To encourage more flowering, deadhead the spent flowers regularly.
- In late summer or early autumn, cut the plants back to ground level to tidy them up and encourage fresh growth.
- Borage will self-seed quite readily, so you may not need to sow fresh seeds every year.
In the following, I will cover each step in a little more detail.
1. Choose a sunny spot in your garden with well-drained soil.
Borage prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade.
The ideal spot for Borage seeds in the garden is in an area with full sun and well-drained soil. Borage seeds need full sun to germinate and grow well. Well-drained soil is also important to prevent the seeds from rotting.
2. Prepare the soil by digging in some organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure.
The best time to plant borage is in the spring after the last frost. Borage prefers full sun but will tolerate some shade, and well-drained soil.
Prepare the garden bed by using a tiller or spade to loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost.
Rake the area level, then use a garden hose to lay out a curved row.
3. Sow the seeds directly into the soil in early to mid-spring, about 1cm (0.5in) deep.
To plant borage, make a shallow furrow in the soil with your finger, then drop in the seeds. Gently rake the soil over the seeds, then water with a fine mist.
Borage seeds are very small, so be careful not to plant them too deep.
They need light to germinate. One obstacle you may encounter when planting borage is that the seeds can be eaten by birds. To prevent this, you can cover the planting area with a piece of lightweight fabric or netting until the seeds have germinated and the seedlings have emerged.
4. Thin out the seedlings to about 30cm (12in) apart once they have reached a few centimeters in height.
Borage seedlings should be thinned out to about 8-12 inches apart so that they have room to grow.
If they are too close together, they will compete for resources and not grow as well.
5. Water regularly, especially during dry spells, and keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.
A freshly planted Borage seed needs about 0.5 inches of water per week.
The reason for this is because the seed needs to be kept moist in order to germinate and grow.
6. Apply a liquid fertilizer every few weeks during the growing season.
A Borage seed needs a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen and low in phosphorus. You should fertilize every two weeks during the growing season.
Nitrogen is important for foliage growth, while phosphorus is important for root growth.
7. Once the plants are in flower, you can start harvesting the flowers for use in salads, as a decoration, or to make borage cordial.
Harvest borage by snipping the stem just above a leaf joint. If you want to use the borage leaves, snip off the stem close to the base of the plant.
If you want to use the borage flowers, snip the stem about 4 inches above the base of the plant.
8. To encourage more flowering, deadhead the spent flowers regularly.
To deadhead borage flowers, first cut off the flower stalk at the base of the plant. Then, cut off any remaining flower heads.
Finally, remove any dead leaves or flowers from the plant. Doing this will encourage the plant to produce more flowers.
9. In late summer or early autumn, cut the plants back to ground level to tidy them up and encourage fresh growth.
If you are growing borage in your garden, you will need to take some steps to prepare the plants for winter. Depending on the climate you live in, you may need to do more or less to protect your borage plants. In general, you will want to cut back the plants, mulch around the base of the plants, and provide some sort of shelter from the cold and wind.
To prepare borage plants for winter, start by cutting back the plants.
Cut off any dead or dying leaves and stems, as well as any flowers that are starting to wilt. You can also trim back the plants to make them more compact and manageable for winter.
Next, spread a layer of mulch around the base of the plants. This will help insulate the roots and protect them from the cold. You can use any type of mulch, such as straw, leaves, or even bark chips.
Finally, provide some sort of shelter for the plants.
If you live in an area with harsh winters, you may need to build a simple cage or cover over the plants. This will protect them from the wind and the cold. In more moderate climates, simply placing a tarp or burlap over the plants may be enough.
10. Borage will self-seed quite readily, so you may not need to sow fresh seeds every year.
Borage will self-seed quite efficiently.
Most often an established borage plant won´t need any additional help to self-seed itself and you only have to remove the old plant to make room for new plants for the next year.
How to grow borage in a planting pot

How to plant borage seeds in the planting pot:
- Choose a small pot. Borage generally doesn’t require a very large pot.
- Fill the pot with a high-quality potting mix.
- Sow the seeds about 1/4 inch deep. Do not cover the seeds with soil, as they need light to germinate.
- Water the seeds thoroughly.
- Place the pot in a sunny location.
- Keep the soil moist, but not soggy.
- When the seedlings are about 4 inches tall, thin them so that only the strongest seedling remains.
- Fertilize the plant once a month with half-strength, water-soluble fertilizer.
- Allow the plant to bloom.
- When the blooms start to fade, cut the plant back to about 6 inches.
- Overwinter the plant indoors if you live in an area with cold winters.
- Replant in a new pot every 2-3 years.
In the following, I will explain these steps in more detail.
1. Choose a small pot. Borage generally doesn’t require a very large pot.
The perfect pot for Borage seeds is a small, shallow pot with good drainage. Borage seeds need light to germinate
2. Fill the pot with a high-quality potting mix.
The perfect potting mix for Borage seeds would be a mix of 1 part sand, 1 part loam, and 1 part peat. This mix would provide good drainage for the seeds and the peat would help to retain moisture. The pH of the mix should be around 6.5.
Generally speaking, you will need a few inches of potting mix to sow your borage seeds in, and then a bit more to cover them over once they are planted. Borage seeds need light to germinate, so make sure the potting mix is not too dense.
3. Sow the seeds about 1/4 inch deep. Do not cover the seeds with soil, as they need light to germinate.
Place a few borage seeds in the indentation, and then lightly cover them with soil. Water the soil well, and then place the pot in a warm, sunny location.
4. Water the seeds thoroughly.
Borage seeds should be sown in well-drained soil that has been amended with compost.
The soil should be kept moist, but not soggy, until the seeds germinate. Once the seeds have germinated, they should be watered as needed to keep the soil moist.
5. Place the pot in a sunny location.
The perfect spot for Borage seeds indoors in a pot is in a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Borage seeds need full sun to germinate and grow well.
They also need well-drained soil to prevent them from rotting.
6. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy.
If borage seeds are watered too much, they will rot.
7. When the seedlings are about 4 inches tall, thin them so that only the strongest seedling remains.
To thin borage seedlings out, first, wait until they are about 4 inches tall.
Then, using a sharp knife, cut off the weaker seedlings at the soil level, being careful not to damage the roots of the stronger seedlings. This will allow the stronger seedlings to have more room to grow and produce more fruit.
8. Fertilize the plant once a month with half-strength, water-soluble fertilizer.
The perfect fertilizer for Borage seeds that grow indoors would be a water-soluble fertilizer with a balanced ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
9. Allow the plant to bloom.
Borage plants bloom with blue or purple star-shaped flowers that have five petals. The flowers are arranged in a cluster at the end of each stem.
10. When the blooms start to fade, cut the plant back to about 6 inches.
To cut borage plants back after the blooms fades, first cut off any dead or dying flower heads. Next, cut the plant back to about 6 inches above the ground.
Be sure to make your cuts clean and sharp so that the plant can easily heal itself.
Finally, water the plant deeply and fertilize it if necessary.
11. Overwinter the plant indoors if you live in an area with cold winters.
To overwinter borage plants indoors, start by potting them up in early fall and bringing them inside before the first frost. Place the pots in a sunny spot and water regularly.
In late winter or early spring, cut the plants back by half and fertilize monthly. Once the danger of frost has passed, you can move the plants outdoors.
12. Replant in a new pot every 2-3 years.
Borage plants need to be replanted every 2 to 3 years to ensure a good crop yield.
The plant grows best in full sun and well-drained soil. It is a hardy plant that can tolerate some drought.
How to use Borage
Borage is an annual herb in the family of Boraginaceae.
The plant grows to a height of 60–100 cm (24–39 in) and has hairy, oval-shaped leaves.
The flowers are blue or white and are produced from June to August. The plant is native to the Mediterranean region and has been introduced to other parts of the world, including North America. It is commonly grown in gardens for its ornamental value.
The leaves and flowers of borage are edible and are often used in salads or as a garnish.
The leaves have a cucumber-like flavor and the flowers have a sweet, honey-like taste.
Borage has also been used to flavor alcoholic beverages, such as Pimm’s No.1 cup. The plant is a source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid.
GLA is thought to have anti-inflammatory and other health-promoting properties. Borage oil, which is extracted from the seeds of the plant, is sometimes used as a dietary supplement.
Borage has been used traditionally for a variety of medical conditions, including respiratory tract infections, bronchitis, and coughs.
There is some scientific evidence to support the use of borage for these purposes, but more research is needed. Borage is also used in esoteric practices such as witchcraft and magic. It is associated with courage and is thought to bring good luck.
Facts about Borage
- Borage is an annual herb in the Boraginaceae family
- It is native to the Mediterranean region and has naturalized in many other areas
- The plant grows to a height of 60-100 cm (24-39 in)
- The leaves are oblong and the flowers are blue or white
- The plant is grown commercially for the oil extracted from its seeds
- The oil is used in cosmetics and as a culinary oil
- The leaves and flowers of the plant are also used in herbal medicine