Borage

Family: Boraginaceae
Genus & Species: Borago officinalis
Common Names: Borage, Starflower, Bee Bush, Bee Bread, Bugloss
Overview: Borage is an annual medicinal herb with edible leaves and flowers. The aerial parts of the plant, all except for the flower, is covered in white bristles. Flowers are most often bluish purple, although pink flowers appear on occasion. It is native to the Mediterranean but has since been propagated to many other places. In the garden, it is especially popular with bees. The flowers have a taste reminiscent of cucumber. Borage seed oil has one of the highest amounts of γ-linolenic acid (GLA) of seed oils, the GLA content is approximately 24% of the oil.
Therapeutic Properties:  Emollient, demulcent, anti-inflammatory, astringent, diuretic (leaves), diaphoretic [1]
Typical Uses:  Borage is used to dispel melancholy, allay coughs & fevers, and encourage both sweating and urine flow. It is also encouraged for inducing lactation. One old wives’ tale states that if a woman slipped a bit of borage into a promising man’s drink, it would give him the courage to propose. It also has a reputation as an adrenal tonic that relieves stress. [2] Borage seed oil is being evaluated for a wide range of treatments for conditions ranging from dermatitis, arthritis, and PMS, to ADHD, heart disease, and stroke. [3]

References:

1. Borage Monograph | Herb Rally

2. All About Borage | Permaculture Research Institute

3. Borage | WebMD