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IIIFolio · plant profile№ 1647medicinal · edible
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Borage

Borago officinalis
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Borago officinalis (Borage) — botanical photograph
Pl. 1647 — Borago officinalis
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I

Prezentare

Borage (Borago officinalis) este un plant anual, furtună/erbu nativ în zone precum Algerie, Baleares, Corse, Franța, Grecia, Italia, Kriti, Libia. Această plantă se dezvoltă în soluri legături de lumină (sandy), medii și grele (clay) cu un pH între 6,5 și 7. Cunoscut pentru fructele mâncaște, borage este adesea cultivat pentru utilizare culinară. Se pot propaga prin semințe direct în exterior, făcând scăzutul plantei la aproximativ 45 cm când ajung la 4 cm în înălțime. Semințele ar trebui să se paseze după ultimul gheata, iar plantele ar trebui spațiate cu aproximativ 60 cm între ele. Borage este distins printr-o floare stară caracteristică, care poate fi de culoare violetă violetez, dar poate apărea și albastru sau rosu. În modul său ușor și aerian, este potrivit pentru gardenuri unde poate se extinde pentru a forma un mat de înălțime scurt.

Quick answers

What is Borage?

Borage (Borago officinalis) este un plant anual, furtună/erbu nativ în zone precum Algerie, Baleares, Corse, Franța, Grecia, Italia, Kriti, Libia. Această plantă se dezvoltă în soluri legături de lumină (sandy), medii și grele (clay) cu un pH între 6,5 și 7.

What is Borage used for?

Traditionally used for energy & focus. Each claim is evidence-rated — see Section II for full citations.

Best for
Top 1 evidence-ranked use of Borage
Jump to full evidence →
Clinicaluses · safety · chemistry · dosagemedicinal profile
II

Beneficii și dovezi

1 claim · traditional-use context
Traditional-use context
These notes are presented as ethnobotanical context. No cited clinical references are catalogued for this plant yet.
  • Traditional-use note: Borage appears in herbal sources around clarity and study-routine traditions, often as a tincture. PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context, not as medical advice.

    Traditional context only. This reviewed claim keeps the original low confidence level, but avoids treatment, disease, dosage, or guaranteed-effect language.

IV·b

Mixology suggestions

1 draft
Editorial drafts. These pairings are AI-suggested from traditional herbal lore. Always verify with a qualified herbalist before brewing.
Borage support blend
general
tea
AI returned a direct ingredient list; normalized into one draft blend for editorial review.
Growingconditions · propagation · uses
V

Cultivare

Light
7/10
Water
Dry, Moist
Soil
Light (sandy), Medium, Heavy (clay)
Hardiness
6-9
Life cycle
Annual
Habit
Forb/herb
Mature size
0.6 m × 0.3 m
Soil pH
6.5–7
Seasonal calendar
Northern hemisphere · UTC month is November
winterspringsummerautumnwinter
BloomJFMAMJJASOND
Propagation
Direct seed outdoors, thin to 45cm apart when seedlings are 4cm tall
Sow outdoors
At last frost
Germination
5-15 days
Spacing
60cm
Row spacing
30 cm
For first-time growers

How to grow Borage for the first time

8steps

Start with borage as a simple, low-maintenance addition to your garden.

  1. 1

    What you'll need

    Borage seeds, a trowel or small shovel, and a watering can.

  2. 2

    Best time to plant

    Plant borage after the last frost in spring.

  3. 3

    Soil and container prep

    Choose a spot with well-draining soil that is not too heavy. Ensure it gets at least 6 hours of sunlight daily.

  4. 4

    Sowing or transplanting

    Direct sow seeds outdoors, spacing them about 45cm apart when seedlings are 4cm tall.

  5. 5

    First two weeks

    Water the plants regularly to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Thin out weaker seedlings if necessary.

  6. 6

    Ongoing care

    Continue regular watering, especially during dry spells. Mulch around the base for moisture retention and weed control.

  7. 7

    Harvest or pruning

    Prune borage regularly to encourage bushy growth and prevent it from going to seed too quickly.

  8. 8

    Common mistakes

    Overwatering, planting in heavy soil, not providing enough sunlight, neglecting regular pruning, and sowing seeds too close together.

VI

Edible & utility

Edible parts:leaves
Edible uses: Oil, Colouring, Tea
Other uses:DyeoilDynamic accumulator
Contextrange · companions · related
VII

Distribuție

15 native · 95 introduced
Distribution across4 continents· 15 native· 95 introduced
Europe19 regions
native (5)FranceGreeceItalyPortugalSpain
introduced (14)AustriaBelgiumCyprusGermanyHungaryNetherlandsPolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSpainSwitzerlandUkraineUnited Kingdom
Asia3 regions
introduced (3)KazakhstanTurkeyTurkmenistan
Americas12 regions
introduced (12)BoliviaColombiaCubaDominican RepublicEcuadorGuatemalaHaitiHondurasPeruPuerto RicoUnited StatesUruguay
Africa4 regions
native (4)AlgeriaLibyaMoroccoTunisia
Broader regions
native:Kriti, Yugoslavia
introduced:Alberta, Altay, Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Argentina South, Baltic States, British Columbia, Buryatiya, California, Chile Central, Connecticut, Czechoslovakia, District of Columbia, East Aegean Is., Illinois, Irkutsk, Jawa, Kamchatka, Kirgizstan, Kuril Is., Lebanon-Syria, Maine, Manitoba, Masachusettes, Massachusetts, Mexico Central, Mexico Southwest, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, New Zealand North, New Zealand South, Newfoundland, North Dakota, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Primorye, Prince Edward I., Québec, Rhode I., Sakhalin, Saskatchewan, Tasmania, Tubuai Is., Turkey-in-Europe, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin
VIII

Garden companions

28 pairs
Plant near these

These plants help — by repelling pests, fixing nitrogen, attracting pollinators, or sharing space well.

Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Pumpkin / Zucchini
Cucurbita pepo
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Potato
Solanum tuberosum
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Black currant
Ribes nigrum
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence berry guild pairing: insectary flowers improve pollinator presence and support predators around soft fruit.
Red raspberry
Rubus idaeus
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence berry guild pairing: insectary flowers improve pollinator presence and support predators around soft fruit.
Amaranthus hypochondriacus
Amaranthus hypochondriacus
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Apple
Malus domestica
Pollinator-friendly
Borage attracts bees and beneficial insects in fruit-tree guilds.
Celery
Apium graveolens
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Red currant
Ribes rubrum
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence berry guild pairing: insectary flowers improve pollinator presence and support predators around soft fruit.
Lactuca sativa
Lactuca sativa
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Turnip
Brassica rapa
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Pigweed
Amaranthus retroflexus
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Northern Highbush Blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence berry guild pairing: insectary flowers improve pollinator presence and support predators around soft fruit.
Daucus carota
Daucus carota
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Radish
Raphanus sativus
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Wild Strawberry
Fragaria vesca
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence berry guild pairing: insectary flowers improve pollinator presence and support predators around soft fruit.
Cucumis sativus
Cucumis sativus
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Pastinaca sativa
Pastinaca sativa
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Wild Cabbage
Brassica oleracea
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Strawberry
Fragaria × ananassa
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence berry guild pairing: insectary flowers improve pollinator presence and support predators around soft fruit.
Abelmoschus esculentus
Abelmoschus esculentus
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Cucumis melo
Cucumis melo
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Amaranthus cruentus
Amaranthus cruentus
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Asparagus
Asparagus officinalis
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Cress
Lepidium sativum
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Spinach
Spinacia oleracea
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
IX

Specimen gallery

1 image
Borago officinalis (Borage) — botanical photograph
Borage (Borago officinalis)
X

See also

8 related
XI

Explore further

XII

About this entry

Last updated
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How to cite this entry · Submit a correction
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