Borage, Heirloom Herb Seeds

Borage (Starflower) — The Hardy Heirloom Bee Plant With Cucumber-Flavored Edible Flowers, Omega-6 GLA, and Natural Pest Control

Borage (Borago officinalis) — also known as Starflower or Bee Bread — is a hardy annual native to northern Europe that grows well in the temperate regions of North America. Bright blue, star-shaped flowers explode in a blue profusion all summer attracting honeybees in extraordinary numbers, making borage one of the most valuable bee plants you can grow. Edible flowers and young leaves carry a distinctly sweet, subtly savory cucumber flavor — loaded with the Omega-6 fatty acid GLA (gamma-linolenic acid). Plants grow 12–36 inches tall with a 12-inch spread, self-seed freely, and tolerate most soil conditions. 60–70 days.

Try planting sunflowers in the same bed — sunflowers occupy the over-story above the borage, providing valuable pollen to bees while their yellow color creates a stunning contrast to borage’s blue. Also excellent planted under fruit trees in the orchard.

Why Grow Borage?

• Exceptional honeybee magnet — blue star-shaped flowers attract bees all summer; one of the most valuable bee plants available
• Edible flowers rich in Omega-6 GLA — cucumber-flavored, fragrant, and delicious in teas, salads, and lemonade
• Natural pest control companion — heat-tolerant companion plant for tomatoes, brassicas, and strawberries
• Highly nutritious — rich in potassium, minerals, vitamins; adrenal tonic; historically used to reduce fevers and ease chest colds
• Versatile in the kitchen — flowers and young leaves in salads, soups, pasta fillings, teas, and dried herbal blends
• Self-seeding hardy annual — plant once, enjoy for years; proliferates easily
• Open-pollinated heirloom — save seed year after year

In the Kitchen & Medicinally

Flowers and young leaves garnish salads, dips, and cucumber soups. Add flowers to lemonade, teas, and herbal blends. Dry and sprinkle over dishes for a strong cucumber flavor note. Used in soups, sauces, and pasta fillings across European cuisines. Historically used as an adrenal tonic and support for a hectic lifestyle — rich in potassium and minerals. A tea made with borage has been used to reduce fevers and ease chest colds. Harvest flowers as soon as they begin to open for peak flavor and aroma.

Growing Notes

Sow seeds in early spring as soil begins to warm — borage performs best in soil 50°F and above. Direct sow ¼–½ inch deep, 3 seeds per foot; thin to 12–18 inches apart in rows 12–18 inches apart. Germination takes 7–14 days. Prefers rich, well-drained soil with organic matter and aged compost, but tolerates most conditions including drier and wetter soils. Full sun. Water regularly until established; mature plants need watering as little as once per week. Self-seeds freely — allow some plants to go to seed for next year’s crop.

Packed and shipped by Box Garden Seeds LLC — heirloom seeds grown without GMOs, selected for flavor, resilience, and your garden’s success.