Medicinal plant

Borage

Borago officinalis

A garden flower to admire, not to prepare.

Historically used as a cooling, soothing herb, but its pyrrolizidine alkaloid content means internal or topical use isn’t recommended from a home garden. Keep borage as a garden plant to look at and to draw pollinators, not as a routine apothecary ingredient.

Properties

Demulcent — Coats, moistens, and soothes irritated internal tissues

Diaphoretic — Encourages sweating

Nutritive — Provides nourishing minerals or other nutrients

Energetics
Cooling Moistening Relaxing
Do not use Borage herb contains toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). Do not use the leaves or flowers for routine internal use, including tea, tincture, or edible garnish. Avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Do not use Do not apply borage herb to broken or abraded skin.
Borage (Borago officinalis), historical botanical illustration

Growing and using it

Life cycle

Annual.

What to buy

Straight-species borage (Borago officinalis) seed.

Best way to start

Direct-sown seed.

Seed starting

Direct sow after frost; borage dislikes root disturbance.