Borage Profile

Borage is a plant of the genus Borage in the Boraginaceae family, an annual herbaceous aromatic plant. Its whole plant is dense and shaggy, and its height is 60-100 cm. The stem is straight, hollow and ribbed, nearly round. The leaves are alternate, ovate. Its cymes is dark blue, with cucumber fragrance, 5-petal corolla, hermaphrodite, bright yellow stamens with 5 pieces. Each flower has 1-4 seeds, black seeds, oblong small nuts.

Borage is native to the eastern Mediterranean coast and the temperate regions of Asia Minor. Widely cultivated in Europe and North America, introduced and cultivated in Jinchang City, Gansu Province, China. Borage likes a cool and mild climate, is cold-resistant, the plant can tolerate a low temperature of -11°C, and is also heat-resistant, and can grow and develop normally at a temperature of 5-30°C. In deep, loose and fertile sandy loam, this herb grows well. Borage is a characteristic multi-purpose aromatic plant that integrates edible, medicinal, ornamental, beauty, and health care functions. Borage can be used as a nectar plant, fresh leaves are used as vegetables in Europe, and fresh and dried leaves can be used to season stews, soups, and beverages.

Borage morphological characteristics

Borage is an annual herb aromatic plant. The whole plant is dense and shag, and the plant height is 60-100 cm. The stem is straight, hollow and ribbed, nearly round. Its simple leaves are alternate, ovoid, and the leaves are 12-20 cm long and 2-12 cm wide. Each flower of borage has 1-4 seeds, black seeds and oblong small nuts.

Borage efficacy and role

Borage is a characteristic multi-purpose aromatic plant that integrates edible, medicinal, ornamental, beauty, and health care functions. Borage can be used as a nectar plant, fresh leaves are used as vegetables in Europe, and fresh and dried leaves can be used to season stews, soups, and beverages.

Borage growth habit and growing environment and distribution

Borage is native to the eastern Mediterranean coast and the temperate regions of Asia Minor. Widely cultivated in Europe and North America, introduced and cultivated in Jinchang City, Gansu Province, China. It likes a cool and mild climate, is cold-resistant, the plants can tolerate a low temperature of -11°C, and are also heat-resistant. They can grow and develop normally within a temperature range of 5-30°C. They are resistant to drought and are not strict with water requirements. Borage likes the sun and has strict requirements for light; it is resistant to diseases and fertilizers and has strong adaptability to the soil. It can generally grow in soil with a pH of 4.5-8.3. It grows well in the deep, loose and fertile sandy loam.

Borage cultivation

Selected borage seeds

Purchase quarantined seeds, remove impurities such as weed seeds, broken seeds, shattered grains, glumes and broken stems, and conduct indoor inspections to ensure that the germination rate and germination potential are high and meet the seed quality standards before they can be used for seeding.

Disinfection seed soaking

For borage seeds suitable for planting, you'd better soak them with 50% carbendazim 600 times solution for 1-1.5 hours to eliminate the pathogens carried by the seeds, then remove them for drying, and then put them in warm water around 30°C. After soaking in the borage for 1-2 days, put it in a damp cloth bag, cover with plastic film, and place it in a room at 22-25°C for sprouting for 1-2 days. When the borage seeds are white, they can be sown.

Nutrient soil preparation and loading

The nutrient soil can be mixed with sandy garden soil and fully fermented and decomposed high-quality farm manure in a ratio of 2:3 and exposed to the sun. At the same time, add 100 grams of root humin, 150-200 grams of urea, and sulfuric acid to 1 cubic meter of mixed nutrient soil. 100-120 grams of potassium and 100-150 grams of diammonium phosphate, mix them evenly, you’d better put them in the nursery utensils, place them, and pour them thoroughly on the day of nursery for use.

Sowing seedlings

Borage is best sown in June. One day before sowing, pour seedling plugs or flat trays filled with nutrient soil thoroughly with water. After the water is drained, 1-2 seeds per hole are sown in the trays, and the flat trays are sown at 6-8 cm plant and row spacing. -3 grains, cover 1.5-2 cm thick nutrient soil or dry fine garden soil after sowing, keep the temperature at 20-22 ℃, humidity 75-80%, and the whole seedlings will emerge 2-4 days after sowing.