FAMILY:
N.O. Boraginaceae
COMMON / FOLK NAMES :
Borak,
Bugloss, Burrage, Common bugloss, Herb of Gladdness, Langue de Boeuf,
Lesan El Tour, Lisan selvi , Star Flowers
HABITAT: In U.S. All Zones. Common to
Mediterranean Europe and Africa, naturalized
throughout the world by Europeans.
DESCRIPTION:
The whole
plant is rough with white, stiff, prickly hairs. The round stems, about
1 1/2 feet high, are branched, hollow and succulent; the leaves
alternate, large, wrinkled, deep green, oval and pointed, 3 inches long
or more, and about 1 1/2 inch broad, the lower ones stalked, with
stiff, one celled hairs on the upper surfaces and on the veins below,
the margins entire, but wavy. The flowers, which terminate the cells,
are bright blue and star-shaped, distinguished from those of every
plant in this order by their prominent black anthers, which form a cone
in the center and have been described as their beauty spot. The fruit
consists of four brownish-black nut-lets.
FLOWERING
PERIOD:
The blue or purplish, star-shaped
flowers grow in loose racemes from May to August. Seeds sown in the
autumn will flower in May, whereas those sown in the spring will not
flower till June.
CULTIVATION:
Sun or shade, medium watering;
tolerates poor soil. Grows large, needs lots of room. Seeds itself
freely but doesn't transplant easily. good drought-resistant ground
cover, soil binder. It may be propagated by division of rootstocks in
spring and by putting cuttings of shoots in sandy soil in a cold frame,
in summer and autumn. It may be grown from seeds sown in
fairly good, light soil, from the middle of March to May, in drills 18
inches apart, the seedlings being thinned out to about 15 inches apart
in the rows. If left alone, Borage will seed itself freely and comes up
year after year in the same place. Seeds may also be sown in the
autumn.
ASSOCIATIONS:
Element:
Air (Hot)
Gender:
Masculine
Planet:
Jupiter
Deities:
Medb
Astrological
Sign: Leo
MAGICAL
USES: Courage, Psychic Powers, Protection
Tea aids psychic power. Carry the
leaves for protection. Carry the fresh blossoms to strengthen your courage.
Use in money and business spells.
RITUAL
USES
Call on the Goddess Medb while asking
for Courage, Inspiration and Insight into your Life. Use
Borage as an offering to the Goddess.
COMPANION
PLANTING:
Borage is
traditionally grown in cottage gardens, both as a culinary herb and
because bees loves the flowers, yielding an excellent honey.
It is a good
companion plant and mulch for most plants, being an excellent source of
minerals, especially calcium and potassium. In particular , borage and
strawberries help each other and strawberry farmers always set a few
plants in their beds to enhance the fruits flavour and yield. Borage is
also a good companion for tomatoes – both seem to improve in
growth and disease resistance when planted near each other.
PARTS
USED: flowers,
leaves and seed oil
PROPERTIES
:
The main uses
and the reputation of the borage since the earliest and the most
ancient times has been its property of driving off melancholia and
inducing gladness or courage in a person.
Leaves:
INFUSION – An herbal
infusion is made from the leaves of the borage, this remedy is normally
used in the treatment of feverish colds and is given to patients
suffering from the early stages of different lung disorders. This form
of the borage remedy is also known to stimulate the production of milk
in lactating mothers who sometimes combine the herbal infusion with
another herb the fennel and used it to bring about an increase in
lactation.
TINCTURE – A herbal
tincture prepared from the leaves of the borage is normally as a
general tonic following steroid therapy, it is also used to beat back
the symptoms of stress, dosage of this tincture can be 10 ml of the
remedy, taken thrice every day, the dose is similar for both uses.
JUICE - A fresh juice of the borage
can be prepared from the leaves of the herb, this can be prepared by
pulping the freshly plucked leaves and used for the treatment of
problems such as long term depression, intense grief, or persistent
anxiety - the normal dose level for all three uses is 10 ml of the
juice, taken thrice every day.
LOTION
– The leaves of the borage can also be turned into an herbal
lotion, this can be prepared by diluting the borage leaf juice using an
equal volume of water, this dilute lotion can be topically applied on
irritated and dry skin, and it is also excellent for the treatment of
nervous rashes on the body of affected individuals.
Seeds:
CAPSULES
– The seeds of the borage are also utilized to make a number
of herbal remedies, the dose of the seed oil can be one 500 mg oil in
the form of a capsule every day, this can be an herbal supplement for
conditions ranging from disorders such as eczema or problems like
persistent rheumatoid arthritis in patients. This borage seed oil is
consumable and it is at times used in the treatment of irregular
menstrual problems, it is also often used in the treatment of irritable
bowel syndrome, and the seed oil is also used to relieve bad hangovers
as an emergency herbal remedy, dosage is about a 1 g capsule in such
cases.
Flowers:
SYRUP
– Borage flowers are often used to make a herbal infusion and
then this is turned into a thick syrup, for use in the treatment of
coughs, this herbal syrup has an expectorant action in the body and can
help clear away accumulated mucus in the respiratory passages. This
herbal syrup can be used together with remedies from mullein flowers or
mixed with remedies derived from marshmallow flowers.
MEDICINAL
USES:
Diuretic,
demulcent, emollient. Borage is much used in France for fevers and
pulmonary complaints. By virtue of its saline constituents, it promotes
the activity of the kidneys and for this reason is employed to carry
off feverish catarrhs. Its demulcent qualities are due to the mucilage
contained in the whole plant.
For internal use, an infusion is made
of 1 OZ of leaves to 1 pint of boiling water, taken in wineglassful
doses.
Externally,
it is employed as a poultice for inflammatory swellings.
Preparation:
Fluid
extract. Dose, 1/2 to 1 drachm.
CULINARY
USES
- Use finely chopped flowers and fresh young leaves in salads.
- The freshly plucked leaves and flowers of the borage can be steamed in a way similar to how spinach or Swiss chard is steamed.
- Soups can be prepared using the young leaves of the borage.
- Used as flavoring herb in yogurt, it can be added to curries, and used as a flavoring or spicy herb in many fish and chicken preparations.
- Herbal teas are made by steeping about one tbsp, or 15 ml of crushed fresh leaves in 250 ml or a cup of boiling water then leaves are strained.
- Borage flowers are used to decorate iced drinks.
- The flowers of the borage can also be caramelized to be used in the decoration of deserts.
COSMETIC USES:
Borage,
egg, yeast and almond oil pack For dry skin
If you have dry skin, and most of us
have in winter, try this recipe.
Beat together 1 egg yolk, 10 ml of
almond oil and 7g. of fresh yeast, or use dried yeast mixed with a
little warm water to make a paste. Add 15 ml of strong borage infusion,
made by pouring 250 ml of boiling water on to 45 ml of crushed or
chopped leaves. Smooth the mixture on to the skin and leave for 10
minutes. Wash it off with warm water, pat dry and apply moisturiser.
CRAFT
USES: Floral
arrangements
