Borage (Organic)
Southern Cross Certified Organic seed (SXC cert 26065)
Borago officinalis
Packet: 30 seeds
Borage is a hardy annual with bristly grey-green leaves and nodding sky-blue star flowers that bees find from a long way off. Plant it once near the vegetable beds and it will usually keep itself going from self-sown seedlings.
Sowing
Sow seeds direct about 5 to 10mm deep where they are to grow, as borage has a taproot and resents being moved. Germination takes 5 to 14 days. Thin to 45 to 60cm apart, since plants reach 60 to 90cm and spread wide.
When to Sow - Australian Climate Zones
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Cool & Alpine: September to January
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Temperate: March to April and September to December
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Mediterranean: March to May and August to October
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Subtropical: March to September
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Tropical: April to July (cooler, drier months)
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Arid & Semi-arid: March to May and August to October
Care
Grow in full sun to light shade in free draining soil. It is not a fussy plant and copes with poor ground better than a rich bed, which produces soft growth that flops. Give it room, and stake or plant it against a fence in windy spots.
Harvest
Borage is best treated as a bee plant rather than a kitchen herb. Its leaves and flowers contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can harm the liver, so do not eat the leaves or make tea from them, keep the flowers to an occasional garnish, and leave borage out of the kitchen altogether if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Sold as seed for home garden growing only. We do not sell this as a food, a tea, a herbal preparation or a medicine, we give no preparation or dosage instructions, and we make no health claim of any kind. Any historical information is offered as garden history only. Seek advice from a qualified health practitioner before using any plant.