How to Grow Borage
Borago officinalis
Electric-blue edible star flowers and the best bee magnet in the garden — sow once and it feeds itself forever.
By the Plants by Zone Editorial Team · Reviewed June 1, 2026
About borage
Borage is a vigorous annual herb with hairy, cucumber-scented foliage and clusters of drooping, vivid-blue star-shaped flowers that bees visit almost non-stop. Every part is edible: the flowers carry a mild honey-cucumber flavor that brightens cocktails, salads, and cheeseboards, and young leaves are a cucumber substitute in sandwiches and dips. It self-sows so prolifically that one planting reliably sustains itself for years, and it thrives in exactly the conditions most plants hate — poor, dry soil and neglect.
When to plant and harvest borage
Timing is relative to your frost dates. Find your USDA zone for exact dates, or browse the month-by-month calendars.
Start seeds indoors
2–4 weeks before last frost (optional; direct sow is preferred — taproot resents disturbance)
Transplant outdoors
After last frost; handle roots gently and disturb the taproot as little as possible
Direct sow
1–2 weeks before last frost in spring; or scatter seed in fall for natural cold treatment
Harvest
Summer through fall; flowers open continuously in flushes over many weeks
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How to grow borage step by step
- 1
Direct-sow ¼–½ in deep in average or even poor soil, as early in spring as the soil can be worked — borage dislikes having its taproot moved.
- 2
Thin seedlings to 12–18 in apart; plants grow larger than expected, reaching 2–3 ft tall and wide.
- 3
Water only to establish; once growing, borage is remarkably drought-tolerant and needs little attention.
- 4
Harvest flowers regularly in the morning before heat wilts them.
- 5
Stake tall plants in windy spots with a single cane or let them lean against a neighboring shrub.
- 6
Let several plants set and drop seed at the end of the season so the patch returns on its own next spring.
Common problems growing borage
⚠ Powdery mildew on older leaves in late summer
Very common; give good airflow, water at the base, and ignore it — it's cosmetic, and young self-sown seedlings escape it entirely.
⚠ Sprawling, floppy plants
Borage naturally reclines. Stake with one cane, or pinch the central tip when young to encourage bushier branching; full sun also produces sturdier stems.
⚠ Self-seeding aggressively into unwanted spots
Deadhead spent flower clusters before seed matures if you want to limit spread, or enjoy the self-renewing patch — transplant tiny volunteers while young before the taproot anchors.
✓ Good companions for borage
✗ Keep away from
🧺 Harvesting borage
Pick borage flowers in the cool morning once they're fully open, snipping each star-shaped bloom from its drooping cluster with small scissors. Use them the same day — the vivid blue fades to lilac within a few hours of picking. Float whole flowers on cold drinks and lemonade, press them onto desserts, scatter them over salads, or freeze them into ice cubes. Young leaves under 3 inches long can be chopped raw into salads or dips with a cucumber-like flavor; older leaves develop prickly hairs and are better cooked briefly, like spinach, which softens them.
Borage: frequently asked questions
When should you plant borage?＋
In most regions you start seeds indoors 2–4 weeks before last frost (optional; direct sow is preferred — taproot resents disturbance), then transplant after last frost; handle roots gently and disturb the taproot as little as possible — or direct sow 1–2 weeks before last frost in spring; or scatter seed in fall for natural cold treatment. Timing is relative to your last frost, so find your USDA hardiness zone for the exact planting dates where you live.
Are borage flowers edible?＋
Yes — the vivid blue star-shaped flowers are fully edible, with a mild honey-cucumber flavor. Both the flowers and young leaves of Borago officinalis are safe to eat and widely used as a garnish and in cocktails.
Does borage come back every year?＋
Borage is a frost-tender annual, but it self-sows so prolifically that once you plant it, volunteers reappear every spring without effort. Leave a few plants to set seed at the end of the season and the patch perpetuates itself.
Sources & review
Written and maintained by the Plants by Zone Editorial Team. Planting times are based on USDA hardiness zones and NOAA frost-date normals, with care guidance drawn from Cooperative Extension sources. Last reviewed June 1, 2026.
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone MapNOAA U.S. climate normalsCooperative Extension
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