Borage seeds - Borago officinalis

Known for its digestive and medicinal properties, borage, Borago officinalis in Latin, is increasingly cultivated for its ornamental and repellent qualities. It is an annual plant that is very robust and resistant, adapting to many types of soils and climates. In the garden, its wavy foliage and prolonged flowering in a vibrant blue are also appreciated. If you sow it once, it will spontaneously reseed itself from one year to the next wherever it pleases.

An annual plant originating from Asia Minor (Syria) and naturalised in southern Europe, common borage is usually found on pathsides and sunny slopes. Just like love-in-a-mist, borage adapts its life cycle to the climate: it germinates in autumn and blooms early in spring in warmer regions, while it will germinate in spring and bloom in summer in cooler areas. Its growth is very rapid and its lifespan does not exceed a few months. It initially forms large rosettes of green, wavy leaves covered with stiff and rough hairs. These hairs are known to impede the progress of slugs, which is why the plant is often grown on the outskirts of flower beds in vegetable gardens. The leaves, large at the base, decrease in size towards the top of the stem. They persist in winter on autumn sowings. Flowering begins in March in the South, in June in the North. Gradually, a hairy flower stalk emerges from the centre of the rosette, reaching a height of between 50 and 60 cm (20 and 24in). The blue flowers with white tips are arranged in a curved cyme. Each small flower, directed towards the ground, consists of 5 petals fused at their base and black stamens emerging from the corolla. Decorative for many months, intensely melliferous, they are also appreciated in salads for their flavour, reminiscent of the taste of oysters. Common borage has many medicinal uses that have been known for a very long time. At the end of summer, the plant produces numerous seeds and readily self-seeds in the garden, with the help of ants. In the following spring, remove unnecessary seedlings to limit their spread.

Plant common borage in the vegetable garden or ornamental garden, in flower beds, alongside sages and roses for example. This very hairy plant repels voracious cabbage white caterpillars and tomato hornworms. And gastropods stay away!

Harvesting the flowers: Cut the inflorescences when they are fully open with scissors or, even better, by hand by pinching the flower. Pick them fresh as needed. The flowers have an oyster-like taste. They add blue notes to dishes and can be used for their flavour in omelettes and salads.

Harvesting the leaves: Harvest the young leaves before the flowers appear, as they are more tender. The fresh leaves have a slight cucumber scent and can be eaten in salads. If harvested later, the leaves can be cooked like spinach.

Storage: If you are interested in the medicinal properties of common borage, let it dry to preserve it. To do this, spread the flowers on a rack or tray in a dry, ventilated place away from light. Make sure to fulfill these three conditions, otherwise the flowers will easily turn brown.

The gardener's tip: Plant borage as a green manure! Its roots will loosen the soil and its leaves, rich in saltpetre, will provide easily available minerals. After 2 months of growth, bury the borage to enrich the soil.