Borage

Borage is a flowing herb. I planted it in the strawberry bed to bring pollinators to the garden and hopefully to use it for it's herbal properties. I did not expect it to be one of my favorite plants in the garden. It's quite beautiful. 

You can see the foliage looks weed like. 

The flowers are indigo and star shaped. 

It's pretty nerdy how much I think this flower is amazing!

Since I have been wanting to use borage, so it doesn't die in vain, I did a bit of research. I will cite the book I used at the end.

• The Romans steeped the flowers in wine. They believed that it gave them courage. (I think it gives my beans courage to grow big.) 
• To reduce a fever, you can steep a tablespoon of chopped leaves in one cup boiled water and drink. 
• Edible flowers used by colonial woman to decorate soups and salads. 
• American colonial people relieved back pain with a syrup of yarrow, borage, and brandy and then drunk with gun powder (Seems like enough of this would cure any pain). 
• Also called comfrey
• To enhance mothers milk, drink a tonic of 1 Tbsp. crushed fennel seeds, 1 Tbsp. red raspberry leaves, and 2 Tbsp. chopped borage leaves. Steep in 2 cups boiling water for 15 minutes. Strain and drink a cup daily. 
• For relief from varicose veins, use a compress made from witch hazel bark, marigold flowers, yarrow leaves, borage leaves or roots, burnet root, and horse chestnut. (If you want the exact recipe, leave a message and I will post. 
• Ancient greeks also believed that borage cleaned the body after illness by eating the leaves. They grew three different varieties. 
• Leaves and flowers steeped in wine to drive away melancholy (hmmmm....duh.)
• Leaves made into a poultice to help heal bruises.
• Flowers are made into conserves to alleviate hoarseness
• Roots, after a thorough cleaning are steeped in oil and applied to gangrene or staph skin infections. 
• The Asians used herbs in fortune cookies instead of little papers. Getting borage meant that you would have the courage of your convictions. 
• Self seeding
• Seeds can be used in a compress to heal the skin
• Attracts bees to your garden
• The affirmation of encouragement that borage symbolizes is, 'I learn to stand on my own.'

The book I used is called Mother Nature's Herbals. I am in love with the book and the borage. I learned a bunch writing this and I will be gathering all parts of the plant to dry and use as the need arise. I am super happy I got to share this with you!!