Borage

Boraginaceae
Borage (Borago officinalis), also known as ‘the Bee Plant,' originated in Europe where it is grown in herbal gardens. Ancient Celtic warriors drank wine flavoured with borage believing it would invoke courage. Young borage leaves may be used in salads or as a drink flavouring. It has a crisp cucumber flavour. The seed oil, a source of gamma linolenic acid (GLA) is reputed effective in treatment of rheumatism, arthritis and PMS. The brownish-black seeds, about the size of a wheat kernel, should be seeded at a rate of approximately 10 lbs/acre. Borage has an indeterminate growth habit (seeds ripen one at a time) making it very difficult to harvest the full seed potential of the crop. However, this characteristic is advantageous for honey production due to an extended pollen collection period. High quality honey is produced from bees that pollinate borage. The current market for borage is a very small niche market, and the crop should only be grown under a production contract with a reputable buyer.

Borage Flower	Borage plants (Photo Valerie Sowiak)
Borage plants (photo Paul Laflamme)