Borago officinalis L.
Borage
Borage is an annual herb native to the Mediterranean region. It grows up to 60 centimeters tall with bristly or hairy stems and leaves. The flowers are complete, perfect with five narrow, triangular-pointed petals, typically blue but sometimes pink or white. The plant has an indeterminate growth habit and blooms from June to September in temperate climates, but continuously in milder climates. It can be invasive.
Details
Boraginales
Boraginaceae
Borago
The seeds of borage contain 26–38% oil, which includes 17–28% gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid. The oil also contains palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, eicosenoic acid, erucic acid, and nervonic acid. The leaves contain small amounts of liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) such as intermedine, lycopsamine, amabiline, and supinine, as well as the nontoxic saturated PA thesinine. PAs are also present in borage seed oil but can be removed by processing.
Borage is used as a fresh vegetable or dried herb in salads, soups, and as a garnish. The flowers are used to decorate desserts and cocktails. It is also used in traditional medicine for hyperactive gastrointestinal, respiratory, and cardiovascular disorders. In companion planting, borage is said to protect or nurse legumes, spinach, brassicas, and strawberries, and confuses the mother moths of tomato hornworms. It is also used to flavor pickled gherkins in Poland and Russia.
June to September
spring or early summer
60 centimeters (2 feet)
Blue, sometimes pink or white
Gardens in most of Europe, including Denmark, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Ireland
Info
Pannon Flora Ltd. was founded on December 13, 1999, by Gábor Janik, who retains 95% ownership. Janik holds an MSc in Horticulture from the University of Horticultural Sciences (1986) and an Advanced Professional English Certification from the College of International Trade (1990). The company specializes in bird feed production and export, primarily serving markets in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, alongside cultivating and distributing imported/exported horticultural seeds. It maintains exclusive partnerships with JOEUN Seed (South Korea) and Takii Europe (Japan), a leader in professional seed breeding and production. Pannon Flora collaborates with certification bodies such as NÉBIH (National Food Chain Safety Office), MERT Kontroll, and SGS Hungary to ensure compliance and quality. The company works with approximately 400 Hungarian growers, ranging from small-scale producers (under 5 hectares) to mid-sized farms and large-scale agricultural enterprises. This profile emphasizes agribusiness expertise, technical partnerships, and operational scalability tailored to international client needs.
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