Borage Benefits & Uses (Borago officinalis)

Borage is a cheerful garden herb with bright blue, star-shaped flowers, which is why it is often known as starflower. It has also been called the Herb of Joy, a name that reflects its long traditional association with courage, uplifted spirits, and good cheer.

In the garden, borage is loved just as much by pollinators as it is by people. Bees are especially drawn to the nectar-rich flowers, making it a beautiful companion plant for vegetable gardens, herb beds, and cottage-style planting. The flowers are edible and can be used fresh in salads, frozen into ice cubes, or added as a pretty garnish for summer drinks and desserts.

Borage has traditionally been used to support:

• Herbal teas and infusions
• Cooling household drinks
• Garden herbal preparations
• Traditional floral garnishes
• Gentle seasonal blends

Borage can be prepared in several traditional ways:

Herbal Tea

Fresh or dried borage leaves and flowers may be steeped in hot water to prepare a traditional herbal infusion.

Fresh Garnish

The bright blue flowers are often added fresh to traditional drinks and culinary preparations.

Infused Vinegar

Borage flowers may be added to vinegar for decorative and traditional household herbal preparations.

Cooling Drink

Leaves and flowers have traditionally been included in seasonal beverages and light herbal blends.

Borage has been grown in American gardens for a very long time. Although it is a European annual herb, it appears in early colonial garden records, including John Lawson’s 1709 work A New Voyage to Carolina, where borage is listed among the pot herbs and plants already grown or used in Carolina. Today, borage is still loved as an easy, self-seeding garden herb with blue, star-shaped flowers that attract bees and bring a cottage-garden feel to vegetable beds, herb gardens, and edible flower plantings. You can read the historical source in John Lawson’s A New Voyage to Carolina.

Borage is a fast-growing annual herb that is easy to raise from seed and often adds both color and pollinator activity to the garden. It grows upright with branching stems and tends to self-seed readily when conditions are favorable.

• Prefers full sun
• Grows best in well-drained soil
• Benefits from moderate watering during dry periods
• Suitable for USDA hardiness zones 2-11 as a seasonal annual in the United States
• Commonly grown in herb gardens, cottage gardens, and pollinator plantings

Borage often reseeds itself in garden beds, making it a useful and low-maintenance addition to warm-season herb gardens.

Borage has a long history of traditional use, however care should always be taken when using herbal plants.

However:

• Only properly prepared borage products intended for use should be considered, as some borage materials may contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can place stress on the liver.
• Borage seed oil and other concentrated products should be sourced carefully and used with attention to quality.
• Some individuals may experience digestive upset when using borage internally.
• The fine hairs on fresh borage leaves may irritate sensitive skin when handled.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals should consult a qualified healthcare professional before using borage preparations.
• Individuals with liver concerns or those using medications that affect the liver should use caution.

This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.