How to grow Borage
Updated November 2026
Borage is a tough, easy annual herb with bristly gray green leaves and drooping, star shaped blue flowers that bees visit constantly. It is grown mainly as a bee plant and companion flower. Sow it once where you want it and it will usually reseed itself for years.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Borage
Where to plant
Borage grows best in full sun but copes with light shade, and it does well in almost any well drained soil, including poor, dry ground. It grows across the country as an annual. Plants get large and floppy, so give them room at the back of a bed, near squash, tomatoes and strawberries that benefit from its bees.
In Florida, the Gulf South, Texas, the desert and Southern California, sow in fall through late winter for flowers in the cool season, as summer heat finishes it. In the Mid-South and Mid-Atlantic, sow in late winter to spring and again in late summer. Across the North, the Midwest, the Mountain West and Alaska, sow in spring after the worst frosts, and again in midsummer for fall flowers.
How to plant
- Sow seed directly where the plants will grow. Borage has a long taproot and does not transplant well.
- Sow about half an inch (1 cm) deep in spring, or in fall in mild winter areas.
- Keep the soil moist until seedlings appear.
- Thin to about 16 inches (40 cm) apart, as the plants grow wide and floppy.
- Sow again a few weeks later if you want flowers over a longer season, or let the first plants reseed.
Watering and feeding
Borage is drought tolerant once established. Water seedlings until they are growing strongly, then only in long dry spells. Too much water and rich soil give soft, floppy plants.
It needs no fertilizer and grows well in poor soil.
Pruning and care through the year
- Cut plants back by about half in midsummer to encourage fresh growth and flowers for fall.
- Stake or let the plants lean on neighbors; tall plants flop in wind and rain.
- Borage self seeds freely. Pull unwanted seedlings while small, or cut off old flower stems before the seed falls if you do not want more.
- Wear gloves when handling it if the bristly hairs irritate your skin.
Picking the flowers
Pick the flowers as they open. They taste of cucumber and can be used fresh as an occasional garnish.
Liver caution: Borage contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can harm the liver. Use the flowers only now and then, in small amounts, as a garnish. Avoid borage entirely if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, if you have liver disease, or for children. We do not recommend eating the leaves or making tea from them.
Companion planting
Borage's value in the vegetable garden is its flowers, which bring a steady stream of bees.
Good companions
- Strawberry Bees drawn to the borage also pollinate the strawberry flowers.
- Tomato A big summer partner for the back of the bed that shares the bees.
- Cucumber Cucumbers need bees to set fruit, and borage brings them in.
- Zucchini Squash flowers need bees, which borage draws all season.
Pests and diseases
NC State reports no specific insect or disease problems, apart from occasional powdery mildew.
Borage is rarely troubled by pests.
Diseases to watch for
- Powdery mildew White powdery patches on the leaves, mostly late in the season.
Common questions
Does borage come back every year?
It is an annual, but it self seeds so freely that it usually comes back on its own year after year.
Can I transplant borage?
It does not transplant well because of its long taproot. Sow seed directly where you want the plants, or move seedlings while they are very small.
Can you eat borage?
The flowers are edible and taste of cucumber, but borage contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can harm the liver. Use the flowers only now and then, in small amounts, as a garnish. Avoid borage entirely if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, if you have liver disease, or for children. We do not recommend eating the leaves or making tea from them.
Is borage invasive?
It reseeds heavily and can become weedy in a garden, but seedlings are easy to pull. Cut off old flower stems before the seed drops if you want fewer.
Why is my borage flopping over?
Borage naturally sprawls, especially in rich soil or after rain. Grow it in lean soil, give it room or a little support, and cut it back by half in midsummer.
Is borage good for bees?
Yes, it is one of the most visited plants in the garden by honeybees and bumblebees, which is why it is grown near fruiting vegetables.
Sources we checked: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Borago officinalis; UC Master Gardeners: Borage growing information; University of Illinois Extension: Plant of the Week, Borage.
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