Borage (Borago officinalis): Starflower for Bees and Cuisine

Borage: The Courage-Giving Herb with Edible Blue Stars

Borage (Borago officinalis), also called starflower, is an annual herb with brilliant blue, star-shaped flowers and hairy, cucumber-flavored leaves. It's a magnet for bees, a companion plant for tomatoes and strawberries, and a delightful culinary herb.

Botanical Profile

Native to the Mediterranean, borage grows 2–3 feet tall with a sprawling habit. The stems and leaves are covered in stiff white hairs. Flowers start pink and turn vivid blue as they mature. It self-seeds prolifically, often returning year after year.

Uses and Benefits

• Edible flowers: Beautiful garnish for salads, drinks, cakes; freeze in ice cubes.
• Leaves: Young leaves in salads, cooked like spinach, or in Pimm's cup.
• Companion plant: Improves tomato flavor, deters tomato hornworms; attracts pollinators.
• Seed oil: Rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), used in supplements and skincare.

Direct sow in spring after frost; does not transplant well due to taproot. Full sun, well-drained soil. Tolerates poor soil. Deadhead to control self-seeding. Annual in all zones.