Last year, while prepping for the 2024 season, we made a list of certain herbs and vegetables that we wanted to try to grow this year. The top herb on the list was Borage.
Borage is an annual flowering herb, also called “Starflower,” that is native to the Mediterranean region.
In traditional medicine, borage was used as a sedative and a diuretic, and as a treatment for seizures and kidney disease. It may also aid with treating asthma and inflammation, and it an promote skin and hair health. The leaves can be used as dried herbs or for tea. Today, fresh borage is eaten and used as a garnish in salads or in drinks. The seeds are also pressed to make borage seed oil, which can be used as a supplement or hair treatment.
But you should also use with some caution. Borage leaves and flowers have a small number of compounds called pyrrolizidine alkaloids that have been known to cause liver damage if you are exposed to them long term. There are some other side effects of using borage long term or in high doses, so be sure to check any medications you might be taking first, use moderately, or consult with your doctor if you have health risks.
The picture below is of our Borage seedlings which are now about four weeks old and ready to be transplanted to larger pots this weekend.
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