Trio of Blue Borage blooms on a white background.
A macro view of Blue Borage flowers on light blue background.
Blue borage flower and cucumber soup on a light blue background.
Trio of Blue Borage blooms on a white background.
A macro view of Blue Borage flowers on light blue background.
Blue borage flower and cucumber soup on a light blue background.

Borage Seeds,
Blue

4.598 ReviewsSKU: #HB139Min. seed count: 60
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Description

This culinary and medicinal herb produces a galaxy of glittering star-shaped azure blooms! Each little edible flower contains a drop of nectar with the essence of honey and cucumber. Pollinators, especially honeybees, adore borage blooms, and you will never find the plants without the company of beneficial insects. Add the refreshing blooms to salads, use as garnish, or make a cooling tea. The leaves, which also taste like cucumber, are cooked or made into cooling drinks and teas. Borage is believed to be native to the Mediterranean and has been used medicinally for many centuries. In the first century, Dioscorides said borage could “comfort the heart and purge melancholy.” Indeed, this beautiful, care-free herb brightens our hearts, and much research has been done on the anti-depressant and anti-anxiety qualities of borage seed oil. Warning: This plant is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. 

Growing Tips: Direct sow as soon as soil can be worked. Succession plant for longer blooming season. Frequently reseeds itself year after year.

Plant Details

Botanical Name
Borago officinalis
Life Cycle
Annual
Sun Requirement
6–12 hr.
Days to Germinate
7–14
Days to Maturity
50–60
Planting Depth
¼–½ in.
Plant Spacing
12 in.
Ideal Temperature
60–80°F
Frost Hardy
Yes

When to Grow

Direct sow blue borage as soon as the soil can be worked in spring, setting seeds ¼ to ½ inch deep and 12 inches apart in a spot that gets 6 to 12 hours of sun. Seeds germinate in 7 to 14 days, with an ideal germination temperature of 60–80°F, and plants reach maturity in 50 to 60 days. Succession plant for a longer blooming season of star-shaped azure flowers. This frost-hardy annual frequently reseeds itself year after year.

How to Sow and Plant

  • Seeds germinate in 7-14 days.
  • Plant 1/4- 1/2 inch deep, 12 " apart.
  • Plants need 6-12 hours of sun per day.
  • Ideal germination temperature is 60-80 F.

How to Grow

  • Direct sow as soon as soil can be worked.
  • Succession plant for longer blooming season.
  • Frequently reseeds itself year after year.
  • Annual to 2 ft.

PESTS/SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

  • Damping off and powdery mildew are some of the most common problems and are caused by a fungus. Avoid this by not over watering and giving the plants good circulation.
  • For aphids, introduce or attract predators like lady beetles and wasps into the garden.
  • Sometimes a strong spray or an insecticidal soap will work.

How to Save Seeds

  • Readily self seeds.
  • Harvest the large seeds when they are fully ripe. The flower will fade, and hang upside down. They will ripen from green to brown.
  • When the tips of the buds and where they attach to the stalk start turning brown and yellow, allow the seeds to continue to ripen.
  • Place on a plate and leave seeds in the bud to dry; they will start to fall out by themselves.
  • You can shake into a cup to encourage them to fall out.

FAQ

How deep and how far apart should I sow Blue Borage seeds?

Plant them ¼ to ½ inch deep and 12 inches apart, in a location receiving 6 to 12 hours of sun per day. At an ideal germination temperature of 60–80°F, seeds come up in 7 to 14 days.

Which parts of blue borage can I eat?

Both the flowers and the leaves. Each little edible azure flower holds a drop of nectar with the essence of honey and cucumber, and the blooms are added to salads, used as a garnish, or made into a cooling tea. The leaves, which also taste like cucumber, are cooked or made into cooling drinks and teas.

Will blue borage come back on its own?

It readily self seeds and frequently reseeds itself year after year, though it is an annual. Note that this plant is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.
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