Borage

I planted a couple of borage plants this year. I've never grown borage, and never known anyone who did. I read that it was a good herb for arthritis sufferers, and a good companion plant for tomatoes. I started my borage from seed in the greenhouse. It is also called star flower, because of the star shaped flowers, surprisingly enough. The blossoms droop down toward the ground so I had to point my camera up at the sky to photograph them.

Since deciding to grow borage, I've learned that it's borage seed oil that's good for arthritis. Not the leaves, blossoms, or roots. But it's still a good companion for my tomatoes and some even say that borage improves the taste of tomatoes which grow nearby.

I read that some folks like to take the flowers and freeze them in an ice cube tray, and then serve iced tea with flowers in the ice cubes. I think I'll do that. It sounds lovely.

The leaves are also supposed to be good with cabbage. You cook one part borage to two or more parts cabbage. I've not tried this yet but I plan to.
Right now my borage is a big single stalk with large leaves on it. It's going to get bushier; the side branches have already started growing and they have flower buds, too, so it looks like I'll get a lot of pretty blooms from my two borage plants. Judging by the cattle panel behind this plant, it's a little over two feet tall right now.