Growing borage (Borago officinalis)

Borage is one of those plants that rewards minimal effort with outsized results. The cobalt-blue star-shaped flowers are edible, the young leaves taste of cucumber, and the plant attracts pollinators from first bloom through first frost. I don't grow borage at my Long Island plot -- I rely on.

Borage is one of those plants that rewards minimal effort with outsized results. The cobalt-blue star-shaped flowers are edible, the young leaves taste of cucumber, and the plant attracts pollinators from first bloom through first frost. I don't grow borage at my Long Island plot — I rely on lavender and catmint for pollinator work there — so this guide draws entirely from Extension sources.

Per NC State Extension, Borago officinalis is a cool-season annual grown primarily for its edible flowers and leaves. It self-seeds prolifically, meaning one planting often becomes a self-sustaining colony.

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Identification and species notes

Only one species — Borago officinalis — is commonly cultivated. There is a white-flowered cultivar ('Alba') and a compact form ('Bill Archer'), but the straight species with blue flowers is by far the most common. Per Missouri Botanical Garden, mature plants reach 24-36 inches tall with hollow, branching stems covered in coarse white hairs.

Do not confuse borage with comfrey (Symphytum officinale), which has similar hairy leaves but a perennial habit and different flower structure.