Wakefield Museums and Castles

It typically flowers between June to September. But, as can be seen, it is still flowering in the MHG in the middle of November.

The flowers appear along 'scorpioid cymes' to form large displays with multiple flowers blooming at the same time.  The flowers are bright blue and star-shaped. They have five narrow, triangular pointed petals.  The flowers have prominent black anthers, which form a cone in the centre.

The flowers are most often blue, although pink flowers can sometimes be found. White-flowered types are also cultivated. However, the blue flower is genetically dominant over the white flower.

The young leaves have a pleasant, fresh, cucumber-like smell and flavour. The flowers can have a hint of honey-like sweetness.

The leaves have been used as a pot-herb since long before medieval times. They can be cooked like spinach or added to soups. They go well with cabbage, mushrooms and shellfish.

Borage is frequently used in salads. The star-shaped blue flowers are often used as a garnish for drinks, desserts and other dishes. The flowers can be candied for cake decorations or made into sweet syrups.

In Italy borage is served as a vegetable side-dish. It is used in ravioli in the regions of Campania and Liguria. It is also commonly used in Germany, especially in Frankfurt where it is used in grüne Soße ("green sauce").

In the Spanish region of Aragón, borage is boiled, sautéed with garlic and served with potatoes. In Poland and Russia it is used to flavour pickled gherkins.

Borage was traditionally used as a garnish in the Pimms Cup cocktail. It is also one of the botanicals in Gilpin's Westmorland Extra Dry Gin. Borage is sometimes frozen in ice cubes and added to drinks.

Borage can be used as a dye due to its blue flowers. These contain an anthocyanin dye that can colour fabrics, paper, and food.

The dye starts blue but can turn pink in acidic conditions.

Celtic warriors drank wine with borage and Roman soldiers ate it. It was thought to build courage before combat. In the Middle Ages, borage flowers were added to stirrup cups offered to knights before they went off to war.

Borage was thought to enhance psychic powers and strengthen protection spells. It is supposedly useful for improving patience, slow growth and gradual change for the better. It apparently helps to establish a healthy pace and achieve long-term goals.

Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides said that borage was the 'nepenthe' (νηπενθές : nēpenthés) mentioned in Homer's Odyssey. This caused forgetfulness when mixed with wine.

The flowers attract bees and other beneficial insects.

It is thought to protect legumes, spinach, brassicas, and strawberries from insect attack. It is also said to be a good companion plant for tomatoes. This is because it confuses the tomato hornworm moth (Manduca quinquemaculata) when looking for a place to lay its eggs.

Borage was mentioned by Pliny in the first century AD and by Galen (born 130AD). It was also discussed by the Elizabethans John Gerard and Nicholas Culpepper.

Borage was thought to be good for bronchial, chest and other respiratory complaints. Additionally it was used for gastrointestinal and cardiovascular problems. It helped expel poisons of all kinds.

Infusions, syrups and lotions were usually made from borage leaves and flowers. These treated rheumatism, colic, cramps, diarrhoea, jaundice, ringworm, scabs, and colds. They induced sweating and diuresis in patients with fever. They could soothe sore throats, asthma and bronchitis. Borage was also used to treat ‘cloudy’ eyes and depression. It acted as a tonic for heart disease.

However, the hairy stems and leaves can cause skin irritation. Long-term or high-dose use can cause seizures and damage to the liver and DNA. This is due to the presence of unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.