What Is Borage
Borage (Borago officinalis) is a fast-growing annual herb with fuzzy leaves and star-shaped blue flowers, originally from the Mediterranean region. It’s easy to start from seed, self-seeds readily once established, and is popular both as a pollinator plant and as a companion in vegetable gardens.
Should You Plant Borage in Your Garden
For most home gardens, yes — borage is low-maintenance, tolerant of average soil, and generally considered deer-resistant, and its flowers are a reliable draw for bees and other pollinators over a long bloom period. The main caveat is that it self-seeds freely, so plant it where you’re comfortable with some volunteer seedlings coming up in following seasons, or commit to deadheading spent flowers if you want to keep it contained.
Borage as a Companion Plant
Borage is one of the more commonly recommended companion herbs for vegetable gardens, though it’s worth being upfront that most of these claims come from garden tradition and anecdotal experience rather than controlled research. With that caveat, gardeners commonly plant borage near:
- Tomatoes — borage is widely said to attract pollinators and beneficial predatory insects that may help manage tomato hornworms and similar pests, and some gardeners report it improves tomato growth and flavor nearby. Our complete guide to growing organic tomatoes covers organic pest and disease management for tomatoes more broadly.
- Strawberries — a frequently repeated claim is that borage planted among strawberries improves their flavor and yield, though this is anecdotal rather than demonstrated.
- Squash and cabbage-family crops — borage’s flowers draw in pollinators and predatory insects that can help with squash pollination and may discourage cabbage worms.
If you’re also growing a dedicated herb bed, basil is another herb frequently paired with tomatoes for similar reasons — see our guide to growing Italian herbs at home for how to grow it alongside other Mediterranean herbs.
What Not to Plant Next to Borage
There isn’t strong documented evidence of borage being harmful to specific neighboring plants, and most companion-planting guides focus on what to pair it with rather than what to avoid. As general caution rather than a firm rule: because borage grows into a sprawling plant up to about 2–3 feet tall and wide and self-seeds aggressively, it can crowd or outcompete smaller, slower-growing plants if placed too close, and gardeners sometimes avoid planting it directly next to compact herbs or seedlings for that practical reason rather than any chemical incompatibility. If you’re uncertain about a specific pairing, treat borage more like you would any vigorous, spreading plant — give it room — rather than assuming a strict “don’t plant together” rule exists.
Borage and Soil Health
Borage has a deep taproot that draws up nutrients, including trace minerals, from lower soil layers — a trait sometimes described as a “dynamic accumulator.” When the plant is cut back and left on the soil surface (a “chop and drop” approach) or added to compost, those nutrients are gradually returned to the topsoil as the plant material breaks down. This is a commonly cited benefit, though the scale of the effect in a typical home garden isn’t well quantified.
Can You Eat Raw Borage Leaves and Flowers
Yes — young borage leaves and the flowers are both edible and have a mild, cucumber-like flavor, and they’re commonly used raw in salads, as a garnish, or floated in drinks. Older leaves get noticeably hairy and are usually considered less pleasant to eat raw, so most people stick to young, tender growth for fresh use. As with any homegrown edible flower or herb that’s new to you, start with a small amount the first time, and avoid borage if you’re pregnant or nursing, since some sources advise caution with it during those periods.
Harvesting Borage for Tea and Medicinal Use
Leaves can be harvested at any point once the plant is established, while flowers are typically picked as they open, since more blooms tend to appear as the season goes on. For tea, the leaves are usually dried or used fresh and steeped like any herbal tea. Borage is also a source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), most notably extracted from its seed oil, which is the form used in commercial borage oil supplements rather than the fresh leaves or flowers. If you’re interested in borage for any health-related use beyond culinary tea, it’s worth checking with a healthcare provider first, since herbal remedies vary in how well-studied they are and can interact with medications.
Keeping Borage From Taking Over the Garden
Because borage self-seeds so readily, the simplest way to keep it in check is to plant it along a bed border where volunteer seedlings are easy to spot and remove, and to deadhead flowers regularly if you don’t want it to spread. Established plants can also be cut back hard partway through the season, which encourages bushier regrowth and reduces how much seed sets before frost.