Borage

SKU: HR1037
Large, fuzzy, cucumber-scented leaves and vivid blue flowers attract bees all summer long. Usually grown for the bees and flowers, young leaves can be cooked like spinach or used in salads. Read More

Exposure Full-sun to partial shade

Season Cool season

Average Seeds Per Gram 53 ?

Borage has a rating of 4.9 stars based on 28 reviews.
Click here for more options
Notify When Available
Attracts Pollinators
Shipping & Returns

West Coast Seeds ships anywhere in North America. However, we are not able to ship garlic, potatoes, asparagus crowns, bulbs, onion sets, Mason bee cocoons, or nematodes outside of Canada.

Seeds of Growth

For every order online, we donate a pack of seeds to gardens and communities worldwide through our Seeds of Growth program, supporting sustainable growth and local food systems.

Borage Companions Shop All
Good for Containers
Cucamelon Seeds for Organic Growing
Cucamelon Seeds and Plants

Cucumbers

Cucamelon

From $4.49

- +
Sungold Cherry Tomato Seeds TM786 1
Sungold Cherry Tomato Seeds TM786 2
Sungold Cherry Tomato Seeds TM786 4
Sungold

Tomatoes

Sungold

From $6.49

- +
Heirloom
Canada Organic
Black Krim Organic tomato seeds TM794 1
Black Krim Organic tomato seeds TM794 2
Black Krim Organic tomato seeds TM794 3
Black Krim Organic tomato seeds TM794 4

Tomatoes

Black Krim Organic

From $4.49

- +
Heirloom
Canada Organic

Tomatoes

San Marzano Lampadina Organic

From $4.49

- +
Canada Organic

Squash-Summer

Desert F1 Organic

From $5.99

- +
Homemade Pickles
Homemade Pickles
Homemade Pickles

Cucumbers

Homemade Pickles

From $3.49

- +

Cucumbers

Tasty Emperor F1

From $5.99

- +
West Coast Seeds Classic
Sunburst
Sunburst
Sunburst
Sunburst

Squash-Summer

Sunburst F1

From $6.49

- +
Borage

Product Details

Large, fuzzy, cucumber-scented leaves and vivid blue flowers attract bees all summer long. Usually grown for the bees and flowers, young leaves can be cooked like spinach or used in salads. Also known as the star flower because of the arrangement of its petals, the flowers have a light cucumber flavour and will stun with their vivid blue petals. A dramatic use is to make ice cubes with the petals frozen into them and drop into cold drinks. Borage seeds contain oils with the highest concentration (20% to 30%) of the fatty acid GLA, even higher than Evening Primrose. Altogether a versatile, attractive and useful herb, add starry blue flowers to salads, drinks, berry desserts for visual appeal. Borage may self sow. It is attractive to bumblebees that must buzz at a certain resonance to release a jet of pollen.

Quick Facts:

    • Large, fuzzy leaves
    • Vivid blue, edible flowers
    • Versatile, attractive, useful
    • Deer resistant
    • Mild cucumber flavour

NOTIFY ME WHEN AVAILABLE

We'll notify you when this product is back in stock.

Borage

We don't share your information with others.

Your notification has been registered.  Click to close!

All About Borage

Latin

Latin
Borago officinalis
Family: Boraginaceae

Difficulty

Difficulty
Easy

Season & Zone

Season & Zone
Season: Cool season
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

Timing

Timing
Direct sow in mid- to late spring. Borage develops a delicate taproot, so it’s best direct sown where it is to grow. Borage does not transplant well. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 21°C (70°F). Seeds should sprout in 5-15 days.

Starting

Starting
Sow seeds 1cm (½”) deep, and thin to 60cm (24″) apart. Borage will get large and fill in spaces between plants.

Growing

Growing
Borage is an un-fussy, self-sowing annual. To avoid self-sowing, the flower heads need to be picked regularly. Borage does best in full sun in well drained soil.

Harvest

Harvest
Pick fresh flowers for freezing or drying for bouquets. Cut the fresh leaves during the summer to add to salads or spreads.

Seed Info

Seed Info
Usual seed life: 3 years.

Companion Planting

Companion Planting
Borage is an excellent all around companion plant. Borage deters hornworm and cabbage worms, and is particularly useful planted near tomatoes and strawberries. Very attractive to pollinators and excellent for the soil and compost. Borage is deer-proof.

More on Companion Planting.

How to Grow Borage

Step 1

Timing

Direct sow in mid- to late spring. Borage develops a delicate taproot, so it’s best direct sown where it is to grow. Borage does not transplant well. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 21°C (70°F). Seeds should sprout in 5-15 days.

Step 2

Starting

Sow seeds 1cm (½”) deep, and thin to 60cm (24″) apart. Borage will get large and fill in spaces between plants.

Step 3

Growing

Borage is an un-fussy, self-sowing annual. To avoid self-sowing, the flower heads need to be picked regularly. Borage does best in full sun in well drained soil.

Step 4

Germination

Usual seed life: 3 years.

Step 5

Harvest

Pick fresh flowers for freezing or drying for bouquets. Cut the fresh leaves during the summer to add to salads or spreads.

Tips

Companion Planting

Borage is an excellent all around companion plant. Borage deters hornworm and cabbage worms, and is particularly useful planted near tomatoes and strawberries. Very attractive to pollinators and excellent for the soil and compost. Borage is deer-proof.

Customer Reviews & Questions