Borage Seed

Botanical Name: Borago officinalis

Borage is a free seeding, easy growing annual plant with with star shaped vivid blue flowers.  Both the flowers and leaves are edible flowers, tasting of cucumber.  It as an excellent bee plant, the bees love it!  Great to plant in your vege garden for pollination.

Borage is compatible with strawberry, tomatoes, zucchini/squash and is known to deter pests from many plants.

 

Sowing Instructions:

• Plant direct in garden where they are to grow Sept, Oct & Nov
• Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 25°C.
• Space plants: 20 cm apart
• Harvest in 8-10 weeks.

 
 

Culinary Uses:

• Has a slight cucumber taste which goes well in salads and when cooked with silver beet or cabbage.

• Young leaves can be chopped and added to summer salads or cooked like spinach (use leaves before flowers appear, otherwise they will be 'hairy')
• The flowers may be used as a garnish or floated in summer drinks.
• The flowers make a pretty drink decoration when frozen in an iceblock
• Candied borage flowers make great decorations on cakes
• Add chopped leaves to soups and stews in the last few minutes of cooking
• Please note borage does not dry well for culinary use

Medicinal:

• Borage is rich in minerals, especially postassium
• Borage contains a substance called gamma linolenic acid (GLA) that studies have shown can kill brain and prostate cancer cells and inhibit the growth of malignant tumours by restricting blood vessel growth. GLA is also found in Evening Primrose Oil.
• It is said to regulate metabolic and hormonal systems, so a good remedy for PMS and menopause symptoms
• Can alleviate colds and respiratory infections, also drunken as a tea can reduce a fever
• Generally used for it's anti-inflammatory properties
• Can be used in a infusion or steeped as a herbal tea

We purchased these seeds through www.kingseeds.co.nz