Borage Family [Boraginaceae] The flowers are superficially similar to those of Woody Nightshade and some other nightshades including potato and tomato in that they have 5 petals and a central column of stamens sticking rudely out.
Full Answer
What grows well with borage?
Nightshade plants thrive well with borage in the garden. Borage repels pests from destroying them. Another nightshade plant that grows well with Borage is eggplant. It is protected from pests by borages and swarmed with beneficial insects that pollinate its flowers.
What is a borage plant?
Borage is a type of herb in which all its parts are useful from the leaves to the roots. They are all beneficial. You can accompany it with many plants and get maximum results.
What is a nightshade plant?
Nightshades are a family of flowering plants, classified as Solanaceae, comprising more than 2,700 species. This includes four that are of interest from a culinary standpoint: potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers.
Is borage toxic to humans?
Borage plant parts including the leaf, flower, and seed can contain PAs. PAs can damage the liver or cause cancer, especially when used in high doses or for a long time. Only use products that are certified and labeled PA-free.
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Is borage poisonous?
Borage seed oil is LIKELY UNSAFE when products containing a dangerous chemicals called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are taken by mouth. Borage plant parts including the leaf, flower, and seed can contain PAs. PAs can damage the liver or cause cancer, especially when used in high doses or for a long time.
What family of plants is borage in?
BoraginaceaeBorage / FamilyBoraginaceae, the borage or forget-me-not family, includes about 2,000 species of shrubs, trees and herbs in 146, to 156 genera with a worldwide distribution.
What kind of herb is borage?
Borage (/ˈbʌrɪdʒ/ ( listen) or /ˈbɒrɪdʒ/; Borago officinalis), also known as starflower, is an annual herb in the flowering plant family Boraginaceae. It is native to the Mediterranean region, and has naturalized in many other locales.
What should not be planted with borage?
Borage is deer-proof. Brassicas (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi, turnip) – All benefit from chamomile, dill, mint, rosemary, and sage. Avoid planting near eggplants, peppers, potatoes, or tomatoes.
Why do farmers grow borage?
Otherwise known as 'starflower', Borage is easy to grow, self-seeds each year, and has all kinds of fascinating uses. Lots of people grow Borage as a herb for cooking. It tastes like cucumber, and is delicious freshly picked in a salad, dried as a herb, or used as tea leaves or in soups.
Is borage invasive?
Borage is often referred to as invasive because of its rampant self-seeding habit. However, the seedlings are easy to identify and remove so it rarely becomes a major problem. Borage leaves and flowers are edible and have a cucumber flavor.
Who should not take borage oil?
Borage oil products should be certified free of UPAs, meeting the criterion of no more than 0.5-1 ug/g (2). Liver disease: Patients with liver problems should avoid this product. Pregnancy or breastfeeding: Borage may have teratogenic effects, or cause premature labor (9) or infant methemoglobinemia (36).
Are borage leaves safe to eat?
Eating borage. Both the leaves and flower are edible and can be used in delicious sweet and savoury recipes. It can be eaten raw in delicious mixed green salads, chopped into yoghurts, cheese and even added to stocks, soups and stews or simply added for garnish.
Is comfrey and borage the same thing?
Borage and comfrey are two different species, but they are members of the same plant family and look very similar when not in bloom. Whereas comfrey is a perennial plant (comes back every year), borage (Borago officinalis)is an annual that happily re-seeds.
Is borage good for tomato plants?
Borage makes a lovely companion plant for tomatoes because of its ability to repel different tomato pests, particularly hornworms. Used as an herb, this flowering plant could also boost the growth and flavor of the tomato fruits.
Is borage toxic to dogs?
Unfortunately, these plants are not good for your dog or other small animals, causing intestinal upset, respiratory distress, and can be fatal if not treated right away. If you think your dog has eaten borage, it is essential to take your furry friend to the veterinarian or animal hospital right away.
Can you plant marigolds and borage together?
Borage is an excellent companion, protecting these crucifers from some common pests. Other good companions are celery, chamomile, dill, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, zinnias, asters and marigolds.
Is borage related to comfrey?
Borage and comfrey are two different species, but they are members of the same plant family and look very similar when not in bloom. Whereas comfrey is a perennial plant (comes back every year), borage (Borago officinalis)is an annual that happily re-seeds.
What is borage good for in the garden?
In the garden, the uses of borage include repelling pests such as hornworms, attracting pollinators, and aiding any plants it is interplanted with by increasing resistance to pests and disease. It is also helpful to, and compatible with, most plants — notably tomatoes, strawberries and squash.
Can you eat borage leaves Raw?
Eating borage. Both the leaves and flower are edible and can be used in delicious sweet and savoury recipes. It can be eaten raw in delicious mixed green salads, chopped into yoghurts, cheese and even added to stocks, soups and stews or simply added for garnish.
Are borage leaves safe to eat?
In traditional medicine, borage has been used to dilate blood vessels, act as a sedative, and treat seizures ( 5 ). Both the leaves and flowers of the plant are edible and commonly used as a garnish, dried herb, or vegetable in a variety of drinks and dishes.
15 Best Borage Companion Plants
Companion Planting with borage helps you get the best out of other plants. Here are the other plants to grow with Borage for the best results.
What Not To Grow Near Borages
It could surprise you that borage has some enemy plants that should never be grown with it in the garden. Below are the plant (s) you should avoid growing with Borage.
Borage Companion Planting Guide
Basil and Borage will thrive well when planted closely. Borage takes up nutrients for basil to feed on. It also repels pests from destroying the leaves of basil flowers. If you want to improve the taste of your basil herbs, grow them together with borage flowers. After basil has been harvested, allow the Borage flowers to decompose.
How tall does borage grow?
It grows 2 to 3 feet tall and has blue, star-shaped flowers. The leaves and stems are a grey-green color. In traditional medicine, borage is used as a sedative and a diuretic, and as a treatment for seizures and kidney disease. The leaves are often used as dried herbs or tea.
What is borage in 2021?
Medically Reviewed by Jabeen Begum on June 23, 2021. Borage, also known as starflower or bee flower, is a plant harvested mostly for its seeds. It’s an annual plant with coarse, hairy leaves. It grows 2 to 3 feet tall and has blue, star-shaped flowers.
Can borage oil cause bleeding?
By extension, borage oil might cause bleeding problems, too. Seizures. In one report, an otherwise healthy woman took very high doses of borage oil for a week and had seizures. Breastfeeding. The alkaloid compounds in borage leaves and plant parts might get into breastmilk, which is unsafe for your baby.
Is borage oil a good substitute for primrose oil?
The seeds are also pressed to make borage seed oil, which is used as a supplement. Borage seed oil is often used with evening primrose oil, but borage is thought to be a better choice because it has more gamma-linoleic acid, ...
Can borage affect your medication?
Medications. Borage can affect some medications and change how they work. This could cause serious health problems or make your medicine stop working as intended.
Can you take borage oil long term?
Risks of Taking Borage. Using borage oil and borage long-term or in high doses can cause health problems. Liver trouble. Borage leaves and flowers have a small number of compounds called pyrrolizidine alkaloids. These can damage the liver if you take borage long term or if you take certain medications.
Is Borage oil good for arthritis?
Borage oil might be helpful for easing certain rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, though. Talk to your doctor first before taking a supplement. If your doctor gives you the green light to take it, make sure you take a certified alkaloid-free product and take only the recommended dose.
How long can you take borage oil?
Additionally, one study in 74 people even observed that taking a borage oil supplement for 18 months, with or without fish oil, reduced symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory disorder ( 3. Trusted Source. ).
What is the gamma linolenic acid in borage oil?
Borage oil contains high amounts of gamma linolenic acid (GLA), a fatty acid that’s integral to the structure and function of your skin ( 12 ).
What is the name of the flower that is purple?
Also known as starflower, borage is an herb notable for its vibrant purple flowers and medicinal properties.
What are the leaves of a sage plant used for?
Trusted Source. ). Both the leaves and flowers of the plant are edible and commonly used as a garnish, dried herb, or vegetable in a variety of drinks and dishes. The leaves are sometimes also ground up and steeped in hot water to brew herbal tea.
Is borage plant toxic?
Keep in mind that the borage plant also contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids ( PAs), which are compounds that can be toxic to the liver and may contribute to cancer growth ( 16. Trusted Source. ). However, these compounds are mostly removed during processing and PA-free borage supplements are widely available ( 17.
Is borage a supplement?
Furthermore, borage is widely available in supplement form and used to treat a variety of respiratory and digestive disorders ( 6. Trusted Source. ). summary. Borage is an herb with edible leaves and flowers that’s known for its medicinal properties. It’s widely available as an oil, softgel, or herbal tea.
Does borage oil help with asthma?
May help treat asthma. Several studies have found that borage extract could help relieve symptoms of asthma by decreasing inflammation and swelling in the airways. In one study, consuming capsules containing borage oil and echium seed oil daily for 3 weeks decreased levels of inflammation in 37 people with mild asthma ( 2.
What is the difference between Borage and NSAIDs?
NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) interacts with BORAGE. NSAIDs are anti-inflammatory medications used to decrease pain and swelling. Borage seed oil is also used as an anti-inflammatory medication. Sometimes NSAIDs and borage seed oil are used together for rheumatoid arthritis.
Why is borage used in a sedative?
Borage is also used for a hormone problem called adrenal insufficiency, for " blood purification," to increase urine flow, to prevent inflammation of the lungs, as a sedative, and to promote sweating. Borage is also used to increase breast milk production and to treat bronchitis and colds.
What is Borage oil used for?
Its flowers and leaves, as well as the oil from its seeds are used as medicine. Borage seed oil is used for skin disorders including eczema ( atopic dermatitis ), red, itchy rash on the scalp ( seborrheic dermatitis ), and a type of skin condition called neurodermatitis.
How does borage oil break down?
Borage is broken down by the liver. Some chemicals that form when the liver breaks down borage seed oil can be harmful. Medications that cause the liver to break down borage seed oil might enhance the toxic effects of chemicals contained in borage seed oil.
How long does borage seed oil help with RA?
There is some evidence that taking borage seed oil in combination with conventional painkilling or anti-inflammatory medications might help decrease symptoms of RA after six weeks of treatment. The improvement appears to last for up to 24 weeks. Improvement is measured as a decrease in the number and severity of tender and swollen joints.
How long before surgery can you stop taking borage?
Surgery: Borage might increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery. Stop taking borage at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
Does borage seed oil help the lungs?
Improving the function of the lungs in critically ill patients. There is some evidence that borage seed oil, when taken by mouth in combination with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), might reduce the number of days spent in the intensive care unit (ICU) and the length of time a breathing machine is needed by patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
What Is Not a Nightshade?
Okra are from the family Malvaceae and the genus Abelmoschus, of which okra is the primary edible species. And this is where those botanical names come in handy. Because if it's not in the family Solanaceae, it's not a nightshade.
What is a deadly nightshade?
This plant has poisonous leaves and berries whose only relation to potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers is that it comes from the Solanaceae family.
How many species of Nightshades are there?
Nightshades are a family of flowering plants, classified as Solanaceae, comprising more than 2,700 species. This includes four that are of interest from a culinary standpoint: potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers.
Is pepper a nightshade?
Tomatoes. Eggplant. Peppers. Not a Nightshade. Back to Top. You may have heard the term nightshades as it relates to certain foods and wondered what it means. It certainly has some ominous overtones, especially as it tends to bring to mind the so-called "deadly nightshade" (which, thankfully, isn't a food at all).
Description of Plant (s) and Culture
Any of several of the plants of the genus Solanum are called nightshade.
Where Found
Solanum dulcamara is a perennial woody vine found in moist areas, around houses, and among hedges and thickets in the eastern and north-central states, the Pacific coast, and in Europe. This common woody vine is found around barnyards and waste places.
Uses
Solanum dulcamara: Although bittersweet nightshade is a relatively weak poison, it is used almost exclusively for external problems. Use it as a poultice for gout, herpes, furuncles, warts, ringworms, shingles, old ulcers, and felons. Combined with chamomile it makes a good ointment for swellings, bruises, sprains, and corns.
Warning
Bittersweet nightshade (solanum dulcamara) should not be taken internally without medical supervision. Contains steroids, toxic alkaloids, and glucosides. Will cause vomiting, vertigo, convulsions, weakened heart, and paralysis.
Bibliography
Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants, by Steven Foster and James A. Duke., Houghton Mifflin Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10000
