Borage ( Borago officinalis ) is an annual herbaceous plant . It grow to a maximum height of 36 inches and raise loads of pinkish and blue dangling flower . Often called bee bush , borage flush are a favorite of honeybees , bumble bee , and solitary bee alike . This is a great cosmetic flower , garden edible , and pollinator attractant .
The Plant
A less common but largely good garden herbaceous plant , borage is renown for its gorgeous flowers . They are star - mold and dangle in pyrotechnic - like clustering . flower set about out as fuchsia bells and then fade to blue as they get on . It is an annual but readily reseeds itself each twelvemonth though it is n’t aggressive enough to be considered encroaching .
In The Garden
Planting pollinator attractants nearby yield tree and bushes will ensure better pollenation . place borage next to plant that are difficult to pollinate will raise yield yields . Here is a list of nifty tailwort fellow traveller for the garden .
A berth in full sun will produce the most amount of flowers , however , tailwort does well in fond shade also . The flowers will blossom from late spring through the summertime . Stagger your plantings to insure a unshakable supply of edible flowers .
Pick them as you eat up them because the greens and flowers do n’t last too long after harvest . If you are seeking entrepot , look at dry them for later use in soups , sauces , or as a tea .
In The Kitchen
With legends as honest-to-goodness as ancient Greece , this little peak has been on plates and in tonics for one C . The leaves are hardy salad leafy vegetable . The heyday are a prized herbaceous plant , garnish , and an factor known for their mild cuke - like smell . They top salad , soups , desserts , and cocktail . They ’re pressed into jellies and preserves and used as a vegetable .
The youthful leaf and flowers are best ; when the plant get too mature it becomes covered with prickly hair . There is contestation over the potential peril of feed borage and it is notify that it should not be feed during maternity . This is due to the presence of some toxin alkaloid , which can have a stressful effect on the liver .
Medicinal
Borago officinalis plants contain in high spirits amounts of an Omega 6 fatty acid called GLA . For this ground , Borago officinalis is used commercially to produce a variety of GLA supplements . These omega concentrations help with everything from arthritis to headaches and stomach matter .
Throughout the ancient Mediterranean , borage was a coarse remedy for depression . It is used by herb doctor as a diuretic ( increases urination ) and a sudorific ( increases sudor ) . A Camellia sinensis made from the whole dry plant is ordinarily apply to eczema , acne , gingivitis and various skin conditions .
