Borage

Borago officinalis

Borage is an annual plant more common to European and Mediterranean countries than it is here, but is cultivated in some places and pretty well known by many North American herbalists. Strangely enough, an herb with such marvelous healing properties grows well in junkyards and waste places, but is much more difficult to grow in tidy gardens and "perfect" nurseries.

To handle the plant, gloves are a requirement because of the white, stiff, prickly hairs covering both leaves and stems. Borage gets about two feet tall and bears blue or purplish, star-shaped flowers during the summer months.

The original common name for this herb was "burrage" or "llanwenlys" from the Welsh, which signifies "Herb of Gladness." One ancient Welsh herbalist informs us of "those of our time who do use the flowers in salets to exhilerate and make glad the minde when depressed. There be also many things made of them, used everywhere for the comfort of the harte, for driving away sorrows and increasing the joie of the mind and spirit."

Since ancient times, borage has had a reputation for dispelling melancholy and fostering courage. Its name may come from a corruption of corago, "I bring courage." Or it may derive from another Latin word, burra, which means "a flock of wool"- perhaps reference to the plant's hairy leaves and stems. Some plant historians feel that the herb's name may have originated from the Celtic word barrach meaning "a man of courage." The Welsh call borage the "herb of gladness." The Romans made borage flowers into an elixir which Pliny said had the power to lighten spirits, and in Elizabethan England borage was prescribed for melancholy.

Borage, a hardy annual, is also nicknamed "bee's bread" because of the bees that pollinate it and love to hover around its flowers. The actual color of borage stems and leaves is dark blue-green, but prickly white hairs covering the whole plant give it a silvery cast. The stems are hollow and succulent; the leaves are alternate, wrinkled, and about 3 inches long. Its beautiful blue, star like flowers are accented with black anthers. Borage is a lovely plant which usually grows to about 1 1/2 feet high. Its branches can extend out to a width of about 3 feet, creating a wonderful rounded shape. Borage, which likes to grow with strawberries and looks attractive planted among other herbs and flowers, is thought to help discourage insects from attacking nearby plants.

The herb is believed to have originated in northwestern Syria, but now borage grows in many parts of Europe and the United States, both in gardens and marginal areas. Borage can be planted from seed when the danger of frost is past. After the first seeding, it will self-sow abundantly, and the new plants can be thinned or transplanted. Transplant borage carefully when it is still quite young. A single plant will spread over a 4-foot-square area, so allow borage transplants plenty of room to expand. With enough soil undisturbed around its roots, and careful handling, borage will flourish in a new place in the garden. Borage prefers a loose, well-aerated soil that is moist and fairly rich, although it will grow in less favored soils, too. Composted manure should be added to the soil where borage grows. Mulching the borage bed when the young plants are  a few weeks old will provide the moist environment this herb prefers.

You can gather selected leaves and flowers for fresh use throughout borage's growing season. To harvest leaves for medicinal use, gather them before the plant flowers and dry them, taking care not to expose them to heat. Borage leaves discolor and lose their viable healing qualities unless they are dried in a place that is warm with plenty of circulating air. You can gather flowers at blooming  time, and dry them in the same way.

Medicinally, borage has a calming and cooling effect and can help break fevers. In Europe, borage tea has been used traditionally as a strengthening tonic for convalescing patients. American herbalist William LeSassier suggests that borage is a good herb for people with high blood pressure, or those who are apprehensive or worry a lot.

Versatile borage has a gastronomical dimension to it, too. The plant was enjoyed In the Middle Ages and centuries later as a popular salad herb. Even today; savvy cooks know that the young leaves and flowers lend a refreshing flavor to salads. An infusion of borage leaves can be served cold as a beverage tea, decorated with the gorgeous, sky blue flowers. Borage flowers can also be candied and used to decorate special desserts and confections. Borage is often described as having a cucumber like taste. This is somewhat true, but it's much the same as describing something as tasting "like chicken."

Borage is a cooling, cleansing herb used for detoxifying the system and for any condition associated with heat and congestion. Borage increases sweat production, and has a diuretic action, hastening excretion of toxins via the skin and the urinary system. Borage tea can be taken to clear skin problems, such as boils and rashes, for arthritis and rheumatism, during infections and to bring down a fever. Borage is also good for clearing children's eruptive diseases such as measles and chickenpox, and for feverish colds, coughs and flu. Borage has a decongestant and expectorant action in the respiratory system and makes an excellent remedy for catarrh, sore throats and chest infections. The mucilage in borage soothes any sore, irritated condition of the throat and chest. It has the same action in the urinary system and the digestive system, making it useful for gastritis and irritable bowel syndrome. The leaves and seeds increase milk supply in nursing mothers.

Borage has an ancient reputation as a heart tonic; it calms palpitations and revitalizes the system during convalescence and exhaustion. Borage has a relaxing effect and is said to give courage and help relieve grief and sadness. Borage stimulates the adrenal glands which can prove valuable in countering the effects of steroids and helpful when weaning off steroid therapy to encourage the adrenal glands to produce their own steroid hormones. Borage is also useful during the menopause when the adrenal glands take over estrogen production. These properties are also present in the seeds which contain gamma linoleic acid.

Other names

• Bee Bread
• Bee Plant
• Burage
• Cool Tankard
• Langue de Boeuf
• Ox-tongue
• Star Flower
• Tailwort

Parts used

Aerial parts, flowers, seed oil.

Uses

With its high mucilage content, borage is a demulcent and soothes respiratory problems. Its emollient qualities make it helpful for sore and inflamed skin - prepared either as freshly squeezed juice, in a poultice, or as an infusion. The flowers encourage sweating, and the leaves are diuretic. The seed oil is particularly rich in polyunsaturated fats and is superior in this respect to evening primrose oil (Oenothera biennis). Borage seed oil is used to treat premenstrual complaints, rheumatic problems, eczema, and other chronic skin conditions.
Add the flowers and finely chopped, fresh young leaves to your favorite salads. Steam leaves and flowers as you would spinach or Swiss chard.
Use young leaves in soup, as a flavoring for yogurt, in curries, and in fish and chicken dishes.
Make a refreshing tea by pouring 250 ml (1 cup) boiling water over 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of crushed fresh leaves.
Float the flowers on a cool summer drink or punch for a pretty presentation.
Candy the flowers and use for decorating cakes and ice cream.
Include pretty borage in fresh floral arrangements.
Borage is also used to treat fibrocystic breast, hair problems, rosacea, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Habitat & cultivation

Borage is a common Mediterranean weed thought to originate from southern Spain and Morocco. Often grown as a garden herb, borage is also extensively cultivated for its seed oil.
Borage is tolerant of many soil types, but does not like heavy, poorly drained soil. Tolerated pH range is 4.3 to 8.5, which is unusually wide. A pH of 6.0 to 7.0 is recommended.
Prefers full sunlight, but will grow in partial shade. Although borage can withstand dry conditions, it does best in soil with average moisture.
Likes cool growing conditions and is frost-tolerant.
Plant seeds directly in the garden where you want the plants to grow, as borage does not transplant well. Seeds need light to germinate, so plant no more than 6 mm (1/4 inch) deep. Seedlings emerge in 5 to 8 days. Keep the soil moist while the plants are young.
Space plants 30 to 50 cm (12 to 20 inches) apart.
For a constant supply of fresh young leaves, sow a new row of seeds every few weeks.
Once established in the garden, borage self-sows abundantly. Thin new seedlings as required.
Susceptible to infestations of painted lady butterfly, tarnished plant bug, wooly bear caterpillar, and flea beetle, and to crown rot of the stems and leaf spot.

Because of its eventual size, borage requires a 12-inch (30 cm) container, or larger if it is to be part of a mixed planting. Use a standard container soil mix and plant borage seeds directly into the pot outdoors in early spring. Keep the soil evenly moist and fertilize every three weeks. The showy blue flowers of borage are good pot-fellows with cascading nasturtiums, and both have edible leaves and blossoms handy to have in a container by the kitchen door. Nasturtium seeds can also be started outdoors in the container at the same time. Because of its size and requirement for strong sunlight, borage isn't recommended for indoor growing.

Constituents

Borage contains mucilage, tannins, and pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are toxic to the liver.

How much to take

Specific doses for borage seed oil are unavailable. Human studies have used daily doses equivalent to 330 - 5230 mg linolenic acid (three 500 - mg capsules to twenty-four 1-g capsules of borage seed oil.
Borage leaves (adult dose): for infusion, 10 ml of dried herb steeped in 250 ml of boiling water, 3 times daily.

Side effects

Borage contains small amounts of a toxic chemical, so while eating it in moderation is harmless, consuming large quantities is unwise. If you're pregnant or nursing, or if you suffer from epilepsy or schizophrenia, you should not consume borage.
Some people experience bouts of dermatitis after touching the hairs on the leaves and stems.

Applications

LEAVES:

INFUSION - Take in the early stages of lung disorders or feverish colds. Lactating mothers may combine it with fennel to stimulate milk.

TINCTURE - Take 10 ml, three times a day, as a tonic following steroid therapy and for stress.

JUICE - Pulp fresh leaves and drink 10 ml of the juice, three times a day, for depression, grief, or anxiety.

LOTION - Dilute the juice with an equal volume of water, and use for irritated, dry skin or nervous rashes.

SEEDS:

CAPSULES - Take 500 mg oil in capsule form daily as a supplement for eczema or rheumatoid arthritis. The oil is also helpful in some cases of menstrual irregularity, for irritable bowel syndrome, or as emergency first aid for hangovers (take 1 g).

FLOWERS:

SYRUP - Take a syrup made from the infusion as an expectorant for coughs. Can be combined with mullein or marshmallow flowers.

Collection & harvesting

Harvest young leaves for fresh use throughout the growing season. As harvested leaves wilt quickly, pick them just before you intend to use them.
Pick flowers, either individually or in clusters, when they're fully open and quite dry, usually around midmorning.
Borage is not suitable for drying as the leaves lose their flavor and color.
If grown indoors, harvest the young leaves regularly like spinach.

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