BORAGE VASE 14cm

There borage, Borago officinalis, is a plant native to eastern countries belonging to the Boraginaceae family. Today it is widespread throughout Europe and Central America, where it still grows spontaneously. It is a shrub of about half a meter in height with characteristic oval leaves, of a very dark green, covered with white hairs and five-petaled flowers arranged in a star shape, blue-purplish, and white turns.

Her cultivation it is quite widespread, it is an annual herbaceous plant that in nature can reach 80 cm in height. The flowers have a short-term flowering. The fruits are achenes that contain seeds, from which the oil is extracted.

There cultivation of borage in the vegetable garden it is an annual, it does not like transplants so it is better that you choose a fixed place for it where it can develop in width and depth. If you think you want to grow more plants, spacer them at least half a meter. Borago officinalis is an autonomous plant, it does not need particular care. In summer irrigates to keep the soil moist, with the first cold the plant dies and it is at this time that you can extract the seeds. It frequently re-sows itself so you may also find it in other areas of the garden.

Borage does not require special attention. In general, she prefers dry soil, to avoid waterlogging, it is better to choose a coarse type of earth, choose for her a place in full sun exposure.

Borage offers stagnant water, only in summer when it is drier it is better to water sporadically, to understand when, feel the ground and proceed only if it is very dry. The rule is: it is better to water once less than once more.

Collect the seeds when the plant is in full bloom, then store them in a dry place.

You can also grow Borage in pots, choose well-drained soil that is not too thin and pour the plant into a very large and deep pot, always consider that the plant does not love in choose a place in the sun.

Borage flowers, like the leaves, are edible but they must be consumed cooked to eliminate the hair and not risk liver poisoning, the leaves and flowers contain hepatotoxic substances. In the kitchen they can be used like other green leafy vegetables, such as spinach or herbs.

CURIOSITY`

There borage in the kitchen it is mainly used forborage seed oil, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids.