In ancient Rome, it was believed that this plant improves morale, eliminates melancholy, and helps overcome any fear. The legendary warriors of Sparta drank a decoction of borage before battles in order to accumulate victories over the enemy. Over thousands of years, this herb has not lost its extraordinary properties and is valued no less today. Let’s find out more about what it is, how to use it and how to grow it.

Description of the plant

Borago (baraga) is popularly called “borage grass” due to the taste and aroma of its leaves, which resemble the taste and smell of fresh fruit, but there is no botanical relationship between them. Syria is considered to be its homeland, from where the grass spread to Europe, America and Africa. This is an annual plant with a strong stem and large leaves, reaching a height of up to 100 cm. It is part of the Borage family, which is why it is also called Borage.

From June to August, flowers with a snow-white or light purple color appear on a branched stem; sky blue shades are less common. Flowers are collected in curls and grow on long stalks. The dark blue corolla is slightly longer than the calyx, which gives the flowers a special decorative effect. After the petals fall in July-August, borage bears fruit. Fruits in the form of small tuberculate nuts are not used.

It reproduces independently using seeds. In southern Europe, borage has earned the status of a weed because it grows on its own and it can be difficult to remove it from the site if desired. In North Africa, borage is especially valued; it is grown for use in cooking, cosmetology and medicine.

Beneficial features

It is mainly the young shoots of the plant that are of interest for culinary and traditional medicine. Borage leaves contain,. There is also here and, which is why borage is especially valued in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. and are beneficial for the composition of blood and bone tissue, so this plant can also be used for general strengthening and healing.

The stem and foliage of borage contain a lot. Most of all it contains: resinous and fatty acids. In cosmetology, this plant is valued for its high content of essential oils, which is beneficial both for appearance and general health.

In addition to greenery, the flowers of this herb are also useful. They are used fresh and dried, and sometimes candied for use in the confectionery industry. Borage petals also contain a lot of essential oils; their taste is mild with a slight sweetness.

Nutritional value of borage (per 100 g):

• – 3 g;
• – 1.8 g;
• – 0 g;
• calories – 21 kcal.

Among the beneficial properties of this plant are: anti-inflammatory effect, diaphoretic and diuretic, mild laxative. It enhances the production of adrenaline and improves the functioning of the adrenal glands.

Borage extract is included in some, for example, Trimegavital is popular, which includes borage and. This herb is also included in the pharmacopoeia of many European countries; its beneficial properties and uses are widespread on three continents.

Use of borage in cooking

Due to the taste and aroma of the leaves and stems, borage is increasingly used in cooking. They can replace fresh cucumber in any dish: cold soups, sauces, salads, smoothies. To the usual taste of fresh cucumbers, a faint hint of onion is added here, which only adds piquancy to the dishes.

Leaves for cooking should be collected before flowering. When buds appear on the plant, the stem and foliage begin to become coarse and covered with fine fluff. Sometimes old leaves are used, but their taste is not so fresh, with a predominance of onion. Reviews from experienced gardeners and gardeners note that the seven-lobed leaves are the most fragrant and are best used first.

Cucumber shoots can be fried or sautéed, like other vegetables. Sometimes they are added to other vegetables in stews; hot borage goes well with cabbage. This plant gives a special piquancy to meat and fish; you can prepare side dishes from the leaves and stem or add chopped herbs to minced meat.

Flowers and leaves of borage can be dried to make a good preparation for the winter. To harvest leaves, they need to be cut and dried in a draft so that they do not begin to rot. Dried grass will be needed in winter for salads, hot and cold dishes, and medicinal.

It is better to candied flowers for the winter; for this you will need:

• borage flowers;
• - 2 tablespoons;
• - 1 tablespoon;
• powdered sugar.

Flowers should be candied immediately after they have been collected. First, make a thick syrup from one part water and two parts sugar, and cool it. Then each flower needs to be coated with syrup using a soft brush and dipped in powdered sugar. For neatness and simplicity, you can pour powder into a salt shaker and sprinkle on the petals.

Place the finished buds on parchment and dry. The oven needs to be heated to 700-900 and place a baking sheet with borage in it, dry for 2-2.5 hours with the oven door open. After this, you need to check if there are any wet parts left, cool the flowers and place them in jars. You need to work with this product carefully, since the petals break easily.

A very beautiful and tasty preparation can be made from cucumber petals. To do this, you need to pour honey and flowers into the jar in layers; such sweetness will last a long time and looks great on the table. You can also use sugar using the same technology; shake the jar with granulated sugar and flowers periodically. In one to two weeks the flower sugar will be ready.

Benefits in medicine and cosmetology

Due to its valuable composition, Borage is used in folk medicine. Young shoots are recommended fresh and in decoctions for a diuretic, diaphoretic and laxative effect.

A decoction of stems and leaves has a tonic effect, which was discovered by ancient warriors. For the decoction, take a spoonful of flowers and a spoonful of stems, pour one glass of boiling water, cover and leave for 15 minutes. This remedy is used for colds, to strengthen the heart muscle, and improve concentration.

To replenish vitamin reserves, it is recommended to use freshly squeezed borage juice. To do this, you need to take young, juicy stems and leaves and pass them through a juicer. Such fresh juice can, in case of intoxication, vitamin deficiency, speed up recovery from infectious diseases. Fresh borage juice is used for weight loss. For such a cocktail, take an equal amount of components and drink it twice a day.

Cucumber seed oil is very popular in cosmetology. It, like the stems, has an anti-inflammatory and healing effect, increases the tone of the epithelium. This product is recommended for both young skin (against acne) and older skin (for elasticity). Borage herb oil can be bought in pharmacies, rarely in cosmetic stores.

The beneficial effects of such oil can be replaced with ordinary seeds. They can be ground in a coffee grinder, then taken as medicine, a teaspoon per day. This product will cleanse the body from the inside, which will affect the cleanliness of the skin and the beauty of the hair.

Dried borage tops are also used for external use. You can make a healing infusion from it. For 200 ml of hot water you will need 3 tablespoons of dry borage; this mixture should be left to stand under the lid for 15-20 minutes. Then compresses (warm) are made from the infusion; they help to quickly cure skin ulcers, burns, and hematomas.

Precautionary measures

The benefits and harms of borage have been well studied; it has much more positive aspects. This plant can be used as a remedy for a course of no longer than 3 weeks. Large concentrations of this plant overload the liver. Also, pregnant and lactating women can use infusions and decoctions of borage only with the permission of a doctor, although this herb is believed to improve lactation.

It is also better for people with stomach and intestinal diseases to consult a doctor before using borage dishes and remedies. This is where the contraindications for Borage end; it is given even to children in small portions.

Growing borage

It is very easy to acquire such a useful plant; planting and caring for it will not require much effort. Reproduction is carried out by seeds; for sowing, you can choose shaded areas with loose soil or well-lit places. It is better not to place borage in the sun, as it will quickly bloom and its leaves will become coarse. After planting, the seeds need to be watered frequently, this is where all the care will lie.

Borago does not require any fertilizers; during the growth period, the bushes can be hilled up and freed from weeds. Abundant watering will ensure lush greenery until the end of summer. Borage can be sown in spring or winter; it has very good frost resistance.

Borage in the garden will bring another benefit; it is recommended to plant it between or near potatoes. This way the Colorado potato beetle will not touch the potato crops. Blooming borage is noted as an excellent honey plant; bees feed on nectar from it even in cloudy weather.

After the crops have sprouted, you can enjoy fresh herbs with a refreshing taste and aroma. If desired, you can plant Borage even in a pot for indoor plants, so in winter you can replenish vitamin reserves and prepare a fresh salad with the “taste and benefits” of summer.

Composition of borage cucumber herb. Taste qualities, benefits and possible harm of the named plant. How to prepare the product. Interesting recipes with this gift of nature.

The content of the article:

Borage (borage, vodka, borage, borage) is an annual plant that belongs to the Borage family. The Middle East (Syria) is considered the homeland of Borago, but it can be found in almost every European country, South America and northern Africa. Borage usually reaches about a meter in height, has elliptical leaves, bright blue flowers (with a pinkish tint) and stiff hairs. The very name of the plant suggests that its taste is reminiscent of a cucumber with its unique juicy contents. Voldka lovers also note a sweet onion note when consuming the product.

Composition and calorie content of cucumber

Borage, for all its unpretentiousness and even comparison with a weed, has many useful properties.

The calorie content of borage per 100 g is 21 kcal, of which:

• Proteins - 1.8 g;
• Fats - 0.7 g;
• Carbohydrates - 3.06 g;
• Water - 93 g;
• Ash - 1.44 g.

Vitamins per 100 g:

• Vitamin A - 210 mcg;
• Vitamin C - 35 mg;
• Vitamin B1 (thiamine) - 0.06 mg;
• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - 0.15 mg;
• Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) - 0.04 mg;
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) - 0.08 mg;
• Vitamin B9 (folate) - 13 mcg;
• Vitamin B12 (niacin, PP) - 0.9 mg.

Macroelements per 100 g:

• Potassium - 470 mg;
• Calcium - 93 mg;
• Magnesium - 52 mg;
• Sodium - 80 mg;
• Phosphorus - 53 mg.

Microelements per 100 g:

• Iron - 3.3 mg;
• Manganese - 0.35 mg;
• Copper - 0.13 mg;
• Selenium - 0.9 mg;
• Zinc - 0.2 mg.

Saturated fatty acids per 100 g:

• Palmitic - 0.06 g;
• Stearic - 0.02 g.

Monounsaturated fatty acids per 100 g:

• Palmitoleic - 0.19 g;
• Erucovaya - 0.02 g.

Polyunsaturated fats are presented in borage in the form of 0.11 g of linoleic acid.

The composition of borage cucumber herb is useful in that it contains the following components:

1. Carotene. Being an excellent antioxidant, this substance removes free radicals from the body. At the same time, it helps improve human vision.
2. Ascorbic acid. Absorption of iron, stimulation of liver function, normalization of vascular permeability and increased immunity are the main functions of this vitamin.
3. Organic acids. The content of citric and malic acids in borage allows this product to actively participate in the digestive processes.
4. Potassium. The human nervous system needs this element. The cardiac activity of people also depends on it.
5. Tannins (tannins). They have anti-inflammatory, bactericidal and hemostatic effects.
6. Mucous substances. Of note is their ability to coat the lining of the stomach, helping it function and resist bacterial attack.
7. Saponins. These organic chemical compounds reduce the risk of tumor formation.

Useful properties of borage

Experts say that borage is necessary for the prevention of many diseases and some existing pathologies. In addition, it should be used as food simply to improve your appearance and add vitality to yourself.

The beneficial properties of borage are:

• Solving problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Borage is indispensable for gastritis due to the presence of tannins in its composition. Such therapy will not hurt during a systemic failure of intestinal function.
• Anti-inflammatory effect. It is necessary to use both the leaves of this plant and its flowers for food. They reduce not only problems with internal inflammation, but also help fight skin rashes in humans.
• Depressant. Borage tea can combat problems such as depression, panic attacks, nervousness and hysteria. Quite often, experts advise parents to give a healing drink to their teenage children during their hormonal changes.
• Treatment of insomnia. Due to the fact that borage has a sedative property, its regular use will help overly impressionable people and workaholics get rid of CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome).
• Diuretic. The announced product has a mild effect and does not cause adverse reactions. Experts recommend consuming borage for people who suffer from edema and cystitis.
• Increased lactation. For this purpose, the seeds of the plant are used directly. Getting them is not easy, because you need to collect the desired product in time before it falls off. When storing seeds, it is worth remembering that in most cases they become a favorite treat of rodents.
• Laxative. For chronic constipation, it is necessary to stock up on borage due to the presence of a large amount of mucous substances in it, which will relieve a person of a delicate problem.
• Expectorant effect. People with chronic bronchitis and accumulation of phlegm in the bronchi simply cannot do without borage. Sometimes it should be combined with other drugs if their effect does not live up to expectations.
• Extension of youth. This prevention occurs due to the inclusion of gamma-linolenic acid in the composition of cucumber. The long-awaited effect is observed both when taking the plant internally and using it externally in the form of masks and lotions.

Harm and contraindications to borage

Experts do not voice any special warnings when consuming borage. However, if you are individually intolerant to this product, including it in your diet may result in an allergic reaction.

In addition, it should be remembered that borage contains a large amount of keratin. Its excess with uncontrolled consumption of borage is dangerous due to yellowing of the skin.

When using it together with meat, precautions should also be taken so as not to provoke poisoning of the body.

Pregnant women benefit from borage, but you should play it safe and consult a specialist first.

Note! Contraindications to borage are so limited that there is no need to be afraid to eat it.

How borage is harvested

If you want to get this product, you should remember the wise saying that every vegetable has its own time. The use of borage will only be beneficial if it is collected between May and August. However, there are exceptions to every rule, because in any garden borage is able, under some circumstances, to retain its properties until the first cold snap.

To get a product suitable for consumption instead of a weed, you should plant it in a shady place. It is necessary to remember the fact that this plant can spread throughout the entire area. It is for this reason that it is necessary to harvest in time before the seeds hit the soil. Cucumber herbs can also be harvested at home, right on the windowsill or balcony.

It is recommended to cut the plant to the very root during its flowering (it is best to choose the very beginning of the indicated period). The product is dried exclusively in a well-ventilated room. This process can also be carried out under a canopy, if moisture definitely does not enter it.

There is a lot of controversy regarding this issue, because famous chefs consider drying cucumber herb to be the main reason for the loss of its taste and recommend consuming it fresh.

Recipes for dishes with borage

Borage perfectly complements any salad, meat and fish delicacy, and baked goods. First of all, you should know how to eat borage. It is not recommended to scald fresh leaves of the plant before adding to the dish. It is enough to wash them thoroughly and tear them with your hands. The dry borage mixture is added exclusively at the very end of cooking.

Borage will be especially tasty in the following dishes:

• Vitaminized salad. Two Jerusalem artichoke tubers must be grated along with three small carrots. Young borage leaves should be added to the resulting mass and the salad should be seasoned with olive oil.
• Hearty salad. To prepare it, boiled tongue (you can replace it with ham) is cut into noodles and mixed with fresh tomato, chopped garlic clove, egg, herbs, borage and mayonnaise. Grated cheese is added to the resulting mixture, and then the salad is decorated with borage flowers.
• Stewed borage. The product must first be crushed, lightly fried in butter and simmered for 3-4 minutes in salted water. The plant, rubbed through a sieve, is then mixed with two stewed zucchini and one steamed carrot. This dish is an excellent side dish for beef or pork.
• Okroshka. No borage recipes would be complete without a description of this cold soup. Beat 750 ml of curdled milk and add to the resulting mass 20 ml of vegetable oil, 30 g of mashed borage leaves, 400 g of chopped cucumbers, two chopped eggs and salt to taste. The announced ingredients should be poured into 300 ml of chilled boiled water, and also seasoned with dill and ground black pepper. For those who do not like dairy products, yogurt can be replaced with kvass (0.5 liters of drink with the addition of 60 g of boiled beef to the described recipe).
• Special cucumber soup. You must first prepare 0.5 liters of beetroot broth. 2 boiled potatoes should be mixed with 200 g of chopped cucumber, 3 eggs, 300 g of shredded ham (you can replace it with ham), half a can of green peas. The announced ingredients are then poured with beetroot broth.
• Fish with cheese. 1 kg of fillet of any fish (sea fish is better) should be cut into medium-sized pieces, which should be sprinkled with lemon juice. The baking dish must be greased with any vegetable oil and the prepared seafood must be placed on it. 3 heads of onions cut into half rings should be fried and placed on top of the pieces laid out on a baking sheet. Two carrots are also heat-treated and laid out in a third layer in a mold. On top of the fish and vegetables you need to evenly distribute 200 g of grated hard cheese. The top layer must be greased with mayonnaise, add spices to taste and bake the dish for 30 minutes. After it is ready, the fish under the cheese is sprinkled with chopped borage.

The benefits and harms of borage depend on how to prepare it and in what quantity to use. You should not introduce meat dishes with borage into your diet every day, this can negatively affect the condition of the liver.

Drinks with borage are especially popular in the East, but they are also prepared in other countries:

1. Lemonade. To prepare it, you need to mix lemon balm, borage and mint leaves in a mixer, adding the juice of half a lemon and two glasses of water to the listed ingredients. Pour a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup into the strained lemonade.
2. Tea. Place 1 tbsp in boiling water. l. tartar, hawthorn, oregano and borage grass. Tea should steep overnight to become a healthier and more flavorful drink.
3. Borage juice. To make it, only the lower leaves of the plant are taken, which must be turned through a meat grinder. Then the resulting pulp should be diluted with equal doses of boiled water and whey and boiled for 2-3 minutes. This juice can prevent liver problems if consumed in moderation.
4. Borage cocktail. If you want to amaze your guests with an unusual alcoholic drink, you should adhere to certain proportions when making it. It is recommended to mix a small bunch of borage with 100 ml of lemon juice in a mixer, then adding a pinch of cinnamon and 25 g of champagne to the poured glasses. You can decorate the resulting cocktail with pineapple slices.

The ancient Greeks attached special importance to this plant. In their opinion, it was capable of significantly increasing vital energy.

In Rome, a rare warrior did not take borage with him on a long journey, because he believed in its healing power. In addition, it was believed that such a gift of nature could drive away melancholy.

Medieval knights had a peculiar tradition: only after drinking borage tea they were not afraid to go onto the battlefield. Beautiful ladies decorated the armor of their gentlemen with this plant, considering it a reliable amulet.

This herb is especially loved by bees, so it can be called an excellent honey plant. Even in cool weather, it is visited by sounded insects, which brings good income to beekeepers. As a result, they receive light honey and pollen pollen.

In the fight against the Colorado potato beetle, borage has no equal. Pest activity is significantly reduced if potatoes are planted together with it.

If you want to dye a wool product blue, then you can also benefit from borage. To do this, take its aerial part in the form of bright blue petals.

Borago is used differently in different national cuisines. In America, the leaves and dried flowers of the plant are preferred. Usually, salads are prepared from them, supplementing cucumber with vegetables and herbs. A dessert made from candied borage flowers is also popular among Americans.

Italians use this product in the preparation of sandwiches, ravioli, salads, fish and meat dishes. Locals also prefer to add it to various spices.

In the East, borage is collected for brewing and creating various hot drinks. In the West, it is widely used in the alcohol industry.

The leaves of this unpretentious plant were also loved by domestic chefs (it became known in the 19th century). It is often included in okroshka, homemade kvass and vinaigrette. Tea with the addition of this herb turns out to be very piquant, but not everyone likes it.

Watch a video about Borago borage:

Some people unfairly consider borage a useless weed. However, the harm from borage is small compared to its undoubted advantages. Therefore, it is necessary to include this healthy product in your diet.

Borage is an unusually pretty plant belonging to the borage family. People also call it a gimlet. Many amateurs cultivate Borago in their gardens in order to obtain early greenery. The smell and taste of this herb are identical to cucumbers. This is where its name came from: borage. Borage is famous as an excellent honey plant; it is practiced in folk medicine and culinary technologies. The beneficial properties and contraindications of borage will be discussed further.

Distribution area

Southern Europe is considered the birthplace of wild forms of borage. But in our time, specimens of this plant are found in the north of the African continent, in the countries of the Mediterranean basin, South America, Asia Minor and Western Asia. As a cultivated plant, it is cultivated throughout Europe and the USA. In Russia, wild forms of borage are found in certain areas of the European part, mainly in the south of the country, where it grows as a common weed.

Biological features

The borage, a photo of which is in the article, is cross-pollinating, quite cold-resistant, but in the hot summer season its leaves become coarser and a peduncle begins to form. Prefers neutral or slightly acidic soils of light mechanical composition. The length of the growing season is 70-80 days. Borage usually grows up to 60-80 cm, on thick stems that are hollow inside. The stem is well branched at the top. Those leaves that are formed in the lower tier are oval in appearance, long petiole and large in size. On the upper tier, smaller leaves are formed, oblong in shape, sessile, covered with hard white pubescence.

Borage inflorescences

The flowering stage extends from mid-summer to August inclusive. And fruiting occurs from July to September. The inflorescence is represented by a panicle, which contains single gimlet flowers on long stalks. The flowers are large, star-shaped, blue or light blue, with purple anthers. Each single flower accumulates up to 5-12 mg of nectar. From the ovary of the flowers a fruit is formed - a dark brown nut.

Borage seeds

Borago seeds are quite large, easily crumbling nuts, and remain viable for 2-3 years. The fruit is up to 5 mm long, ribbed and unequal in shape.

Varietal composition

This crop does not have generally accepted domestic or foreign zoned varieties. Each locality uses its own varietal lines and populations.

Borage agricultural technology

Cultural forms of borage are sown in spring or before winter, before frost arrives. In subsequent years, the grass can reproduce by self-sowing. When sowing, the following scheme is used: the width between the rows is 30 cm and the sowing step between plants in the row is 10 cm. The seeds are buried 2 cm into the soil. On the tenth day, shoots appear from the seeds.

Plant care

In the phase of the first true leaf, plants should be thinned out, leaving 9-10 cm between them. During the growing season, the row spacing should be loosened and weeded three times. And in dry summers, water several times. Soil moisture must be constantly maintained at 80% HB. Borage responds very well to fertilizing with organic and mineral fertilizers. The first fertilizing should be done with urea during the period of plant thinning. To do this, dissolve 12 grams of urea in a bucket of water and feed the plant with this solution. The second feeding can be done 25 days after the first. Here it is appropriate to use a solution of mullein in a ratio of 1:5 with water.

Cleaning

They start collecting leaves when they are young, even before the flower stalk appears. Leaves are not taken from plants left for seeds. When the seed pods turn brown, the stems are cut off at the bottom of the inflorescences. From one square meter you can get 20 grams of seeds and 600 grams of greens. Borage can be grown on a windowsill. The leaves are periodically cut off and dried in the shade.

Chemical composition

The beneficial properties of borage are due to the rich content of useful chemical organic and inorganic components that can have a healing effect on people's health. Available in vegetative mass and seeds:

• essential oils;
• mucous compounds;
• substances from the tannin group;
• silicon;
• compounds from the group of saponins;
• resin compounds;
• vitamin C;
• zinc;
• potassium;
• carotene;
• Apple acid;
• calcium;
• choline;
• iron;
• citric acid and other equally valuable substances.

Reserves of essential oil were found in the flowers. The oil produced from the seeds is also very valuable. It consists of 20-27% gamma-linolenic acid, used in pharmacology. In addition, the oil contains alpha-linolenic acid, the presence of which reaches 10%. In its composition and properties it is very similar to primrose oil. The presence of essential oil in borage varies between 0.01-0.13%. Moreover, over time, the plant accumulates this product, so there is more oil in old leaves than in young ones. This oil contains 23 volatile compounds, of which aldehydes, as well as neadcane, tetracosane and heptacosane, are especially valuable.

Useful qualities

The beneficial properties of borage (borage, a photo of which you can see in the article) have been studied since ancient times. The essential fatty acids present in the plant are of great importance. The human body needs them to maintain vitality and healthy skin.

If these substances are lacking in the body, mood may suddenly drop, immunity may weaken, inflammation of organs and weakening of the heart may develop. Essential fatty acids are responsible for the condition of nails and hair. They are especially necessary for children.

Potassium found in the plant facilitates the removal of water from the body, and with it toxic compounds. Freshly squeezed borage juice can consist of a third of potassium, but dried leaves contain only 3 percent. Choline has a beneficial effect on the glands that produce sweat, which helps regulate the body's thermoregulation. Therefore, the plant is used for coughs, colds and fever. Nicotinic acid has a calming effect on the body, removes anxiety and nervousness.

Residents of Western countries habitually eat young borage leaves, adding them to various dishes. Fresh flowers are placed in glasses with drinks or wine, and the candied inflorescences are eaten for dessert. The formed leaves can be stewed and used in marinades and pickles. Borage inflorescences are used industrially in the production of confectionery products and cognac.

When should borage be used?

Modern healers recommend using borage as an anti-inflammatory, expectorant, laxative and enveloping agent to cure fever, gastrointestinal inflammation, colds, and constipation. As a diuretic medicine, borage is practiced to treat edema, kidney diseases, bladder and urinary ducts. To do this, its infusions are taken orally. Compresses using borage leaves have an antirheumatic and analgesic effect in the treatment of joint and muscle pain, as well as gout. Borage seeds boiled in grape wine are prescribed to increase mothers' lactation.

Borago, or borage (photo, useful properties - in the article), also has a calming property, is widely used in homeopathy, in the treatment of depression, neurasthenia and sleep disorders. Decoctions of its leaves are used to treat skin rashes, eczema and other skin diseases. Mineral salts of borage improve metabolism, so it is included in multi-component diets.

Alternative medicine advises turning to borage for the following diseases:

• asthenia;
• rheumatic diseases;
• joint pain;
• insomnia;
• gout;
• inflammation of the bladder and kidneys;
• colitis;
• gastritis;
• fever;
• constipation;
• neurasthenia;
• swelling;
• colds;
• cardiac neuroses;
• skin diseases.

But before you decide to take medications made from borage, you should consult your doctor, as self-medication can only worsen the situation. Therapy with traditional methods is effective only in combination with basic drug treatment and under the supervision of a specialist.

Contraindications

Cucumber has few contraindications. Its main problem is the insignificant presence of the alkaloid pyrrolizidine, known for its ability to cause liver cancer. Therefore, borage should not be consumed for food or for treatment for more than 30 days in a row. It is also prohibited to take borage together with a group of drugs related to anticoagulants. In a certain category of people, borage can cause convulsions, pain in the head, nausea or bloating. Usually all these ailments have a mild manifestation. The hairs present on the stem and leaves are very hard and can irritate sensitive skin. Therefore, it is better to wear gloves during the collection process.

The use of borage by pregnant or nursing mothers is highly undesirable. Despite the fact that since ancient times it has always been used as a means of improving lactation, this ban is due to the lack of scientific information about the effects of this plant on the body of women at this time.

It is absolutely forbidden to use the herb for persons suffering from epileptic seizures, schizophrenic disorders, convulsions, or taking the medicine Phenothiazine. It is better to take decoctions and infusions of borage as part of herbal preparations and consult a doctor before doing so. Some believe that gamma-linolenic acid present in the plant may promote the growth and proliferation of cancer cells. However, this has not yet been proven by anyone.

Preparation of infusions and decoctions

Before preparing borage juice, fresh leaves of the lower tier should first be thoroughly washed with running water, scalded with boiling water, and then passed through a meat grinder.

We squeeze the resulting mass through two layers of gauze and obtain borage cell juice. Dilute the squeezed juice with water in a 1:1 ratio and boil over low heat for 4 minutes. After this, all that remains is to cool and strain the broth, and it is ready for use. The decoction should be taken orally three times a day, immediately after meals, 2 tablespoons. In some cases, for skin diseases, it can be practiced for external use.

A healing infusion is also prepared from borage. For this purpose, take 2 tablespoons of dried and crushed leaves or 1 tablespoon of dried flowers and pour 200 ml of boiling water over them. The mixture, steeped for two hours, is filtered and 1 tbsp is administered orally three times a day. spoon, for diseases of muscles and joints, as well as for gout or rheumatism.

To cure gastritis and kidney inflammation, as well as normalize cardiac activity, you need to consume 100 grams of borage infusion three times a day, when preparing it 1 tbsp. a spoonful of flowers was poured with boiling water in an amount of 200 ml and infused for 6 hours.

Growing borage (borage, borage, borage). Reproduction, planting, sowing. Care, application, harvesting

How to plant and grow borage. How to propagate - sow seeds. How to care, assemble and use (10+)

Green grass like a crisp cucumber?

borage

There is not a single person in the world who does not know what a cucumber is. This vegetable pleases us all year round. In the spring, when we want something fresh, after a frosty winter, we start eating fresh cucumbers. In winter, it’s nice to open a jar of pickled or pickled crispy cucumbers. In the fall, many housewives make lightly salted cucumbers. And each of them is delicious in its own way.

But now we won’t talk about them. It turns out that there is such a plant as borage. I think few people have heard of her. It's called borage. People also called her borage, borage.

Where did borage come from?

It is not known which came first - the cucumber or the borage borage. But it is known from history that borage was known back in Ancient Rome, when cucumbers had not been heard of at all. Before battles, warriors of Ancient Rome were “forced” to eat borage or drink a drink made from it - to increase strength, morale, fearlessness, courage, stamina, and, well, a good mood.

Borage grows in many territories of Russia, Belarus, southern Europe, Asia, and Africa. But the seeds of this grass were “inspired” from Syria. Borago grows like a weed, so it is absolutely unpretentious to weather conditions and can grow in ordinary soil, clay, sand, and even in landfills. It is considered a wild plant. But it can be specially grown as a cultivated plant in vegetable gardens and garden plots.

Borago - what is it? Use and its application

Borago is a one-year plant. It reaches a height of 60 cm or more, but not higher than 1 meter. The stem of the plant is straight, on which there are branches forming leaves and flowers. The leaves resemble triangles. At the bottom of the plant they are wider and denser, and towards the top they are smaller and softer, reminiscent of a “Christmas tree”. The buds of a plant that has not yet blossomed resemble an egg shape. The plant itself and its buds are covered with a kind of “fluff”, which is more rigid on the stem. Both the trunk and the leaves are very succulent, but the trunk itself is empty inside. When the flowers open, they resemble a lilac-blue crab, but come in pinkish or white colors.

The flowers and leaves are very fragrant, which attracts bees to it, so it is a good pollinator from which bees can collect a lot of nectar, i.e. it is a good honey plant. This plant is not tolerated by Colorado potato beetles. Therefore, many farmers, along with planting potatoes, plant cucumber grass nearby so as not to use chemicals and get a good harvest. If you plant this plant on your site, you will not regret it. A large number of bees, which it attracts with its aromas, will pollinate not only vegetable plants, but also trees, from which you can get a large harvest of both fruits and vegetables.

All amateur gardeners, gardeners, and breeders know very well that in order to grow a good harvest of cucumbers, you need to do a lot of work on them: plant seedlings, plant them in the soil (if necessary, also buy a greenhouse), water them on time, etc. Unlike them, borage does not require such attention at all.

When cultivated, caring for it is not difficult. Although borage is considered a wild plant, it is better to grow it yourself by planting seeds on your site. With this cultivation, the plant itself becomes more juicy and tasty when eaten.

Methods for growing and caring for borage

Borage reproduces only by seeds. Planting can begin in April, when the first snow melts. Rows are made on the site, the distance between which should be 20-30 cm. You determine the length of the rows yourself. The depth of the rows should be such that the seeds can be covered with about 2-3 cm of soil on top. Place several seeds in these dimpled rows at a distance of 10-15 cm and sprinkle them. No preparatory procedures are required before planting. After you have sowed the rows, they need to be watered abundantly. You will be able to see the first shoots in a week or a week and a half.

Sowing seeds can be done from early spring to late autumn at intervals of two weeks. This is done in order to have fresh, juicy cucumber grass all year round. Caring for borage is not difficult: loosen the soil around it, pull out weeds and, most importantly, water it abundantly. If the plant is dry, it becomes less juicy, like wild plants. Borage is very light-loving, but in hot weather it is advisable to plant it in the shade of trees or shrubs, because at very high temperatures and a lot of sun, the plant begins to bloom very quickly, which is undesirable if you are going to use it as food seasonings or for salads.

You can also plant borage before winter - throw the seeds into the ground, and in the spring they will “come out” on their own. Another way is to leave a few bushes until the seeds ripen, and the wind will “blow” them wherever it sees fit. But it’s better not to get carried away with this method, because you can end up with a plot with a lot of weeds, thus creating problems for yourself.

The harvest begins with the appearance of the first “upstarts”. They are the most useful. To use it as food, you do not have to wait until the plant begins to bloom. It is advisable to use it for salads before the buds appear, since when flowering it becomes tougher and begins to lose its taste properties.

Borage can also be grown on a windowsill in an ordinary apartment by planting several seeds in an ordinary flower pot. In winter, you can enjoy the fresh cucumber flavor and use it as food.

Benefits and uses of borage

Borage is used not only as a plant that has a cucumber smell and taste of cucumber. Its leaves and stem contain large amounts of vitamins. Such as: vitamin C, potassium, tannin, acids (malic, ascorbic, citric, lactic), carotene, sugar, saponin, tannins, alkaloids, phosphorus, iron, lithium, protein, sodium, essential oils.

In our country, borage is not a very common plant. It is known mainly by avid gardeners, or people who adhere to a vegetarian lifestyle. It has not found much use in medicine either. But borage has gained great popularity in Western European countries. It is used by doctors to treat neurological diseases and heart diseases.

As a folk remedy, borage can be used in the treatment of the gastrointestinal tract, metabolic disorders, hormonal changes, edema, and kidney and heart diseases. It is also used as an anti-inflammatory agent - treatment of rheumatism, skin diseases, eczema, burns. It is also used in cosmetology - used as a rejuvenating agent.

Borage is not harvested for future use. Only the inflorescences are dried. Drying the leaves and stem is a long process, so there is no point in doing this. In winter, dried flowers are used for infusions, tea is brewed, added to confectionery, and used as decorations for cakes and pastries. Tea with the addition of borage is used to relieve sore throats, improve sleep, and also as a diuretic.

It is a pity that this plant is little used and not very many people know about it. But, in our time, information comes through all information channels. Therefore, we can hope that soon this borage, as a miracle vitamin, will gain great popularity both among gardeners and gardeners, and in the study of its properties by scientific institutes.

Borago adds a cucumber flavor to spring hash and salads, when cucumber seedlings are just beginning to take root in greenhouses.

This unpretentious spicy plant has become a regular in country gardens with the advent of fashion for healthy eating. The aroma of borage is reminiscent of fresh cucumber, which is why it is called borage. The plant is characterized by rapid growth and sprouts within 10-12 days, and after a month you can already add this exceptionally vitamin-rich greenery to cold vegetable appetizers and salads.

Borago (Borago officinalis) is an annual plant borage family. Borago comes from the Mediterranean. The plant looks

It’s very decorative, which is also why summer residents love it. Borago has beautiful shaggy silver-green leaves, large, fleshy and rough.

The plant has a straight stem that grows up to 60 cm and even a meter in height, and spreading side shoots. Tap root with numerous branches. Borago has delicate sky-blue flowers with a pink tint, edged with long white bristles. The borage bush is compact and neat and during flowering it is completely covered with flowers. Borago blooms from June to September.

Why do you need borage?

Borago is an invaluable source of vitamin C. Borago contains three times more of this vitamin than cucumbers!

The leaves of this plant are rich in mineral salts and vitamins, valuable organic acids and tannins, and also contain useful mucilages. Borage is the basis of many drugs known to alternative medicine since ancient times. For medicinal purposes, the plant is harvested during flowering: the ground part is dried separately, and the flowers are also dried separately.

Both are dried in the shade, naturally, with good ventilation. The plant is used to strengthen the nervous system; borage decoctions and infusions relieve internal tension and irritation. Borage is also a mild laxative and anti-inflammatory agent.

To prepare an infusion of borage, you need to take naturally dried leaves in a shaded place. According to an ancient Slavic folk recipe, the infusion is prepared as follows: 1 tbsp. l. dry leaves or 1 tsp. pour a glass of boiling water over the flowers and leave in a closed container wrapped in a towel for 5 hours (in our time, you can use a thermos for this purpose). After this, filter the infusion, add sugar to taste and take 2 tbsp for five days. l. The infusion helps with swelling, kidney inflammation and rheumatism. It has a diaphoretic and diuretic effect, stimulates the adrenal glands. It is a means of restoring impaired metabolism, treats gout, skin diseases and articular rheumatism.

SUGAR FLOWERS

Place borage flowers in a sterilized jar, sprinkling them with fine granulated sugar (you can use powdered sugar). Close the container tightly with a lid and place it in a cool place for 15-20 days. The container should be shaken gently every day. After three weeks, the jar of candied flowers should be placed in the refrigerator. But they are not stored for long. For culinary purposes, it is better to use fresh candied flowers.

Borago is great in salads

The young leaves of this plant have a cucumber aroma and a fresh, salty taste. They are great in almost any green salad, spring okroshka and vinaigrette.

But before you use borage for food, you need to crush the leaves with a rolling pin in a wooden mortar or cut them into very small strips, since you need to get rid of the thorns.

Borago leaves do not tolerate heat treatment. They can only be used in cold dishes. The flowers of this plant are also used for food - they are delicate, sky-blue in color. Homemade liqueurs are infused with borage flowers.

Where will borage grow?

Unlike many herbs, borage is a cold-resistant plant. Sometimes it is even sown “before winter,” but in general borage is sown in early spring. This plant germinates quickly. The best predecessors of borage are cabbage, potatoes, legumes, and tomatoes.

In addition, borage, unlike most spice plants, does not need a lot of sunlight. When grown at home on a windowsill, it develops well even on dark winter days, which so often happen in our latitudes. Borago doesn't like

direct sunlight, it is better to shade it a little; it can be planted under trees. This plant is not picky about soil. Wild borage reproduces by self-sowing: the seeds fall off and overwinter in the soil, giving vigorous shoots in the spring. But in order to obtain tender greens suitable for food, cultivated varieties of bo-rago must be grown on fertile soils. Borage is quite drought-resistant.

Varieties of borage that are grown in summer cottages: Vladykinskoe Semko, Gnom and Rucheek. The best predecessors for borage are potatoes and cabbage.

Borago is propagated by seeds. The fruit of borage consists of four fairly large black nuts that fall off easily. Such “nuts” remain viable for up to three years. They ripen in July-September.

In order to prevent self-seeding, borage seeds are removed without waiting for them to fully ripen. They ripen on paper in a bright room.

Growing borage - even a beginner can handle it

In the fall, when digging the site, superphosphate is added (at the rate of 25 g per square meter) and potassium salt (15 g for the same area). In spring, the soil is fertilized with nitrogen fertilizer (preferably ammonium nitrate) at the rate of 10-15 g per square meter.

Borage is sown in early spring, in March, placing the seeds to a depth of about 2 cm. If you want to get fresh greens earlier, you can cover the bed with borage with film. Borage is sown in rows (the optimal number of seeds is 3-6 g per sq. m) with a distance between them of about 40 cm. The seedlings will hatch on the 10-12th day. In order to collect fresh greens until late autumn, borage is sown again in August. Many gardeners sow this plant “before winter.” Sowing in several stages is justified, since this plant gains height very quickly and the leaves become coarser. Borago blooms from May to July.

Borago is a biennial plant, but is grown in culture as an annual. Perfect as a herb for growing on a windowsill. The fleshy stem of this plant in indoor conditions reaches 70 cm in height. Succulent elliptical leaves and large sky-blue flowers, collected in paniculate inflorescences, will decorate any interior. Interestingly, at the end of flowering they acquire a pink tint. When grown indoors, this plant produces fresh greens all year round: to do this, it is enough to maintain an interval of 15 days between sowings.

To obtain greenery in the early stages, the bed should be placed in a sunny place, and to use greenery in the summer - in a shaded place. Sown before winter, borage seeds overwinter well in the soil and produce vigorous shoots in the spring.

Why a borage greenhouse?

Borage is an excellent honey plant and attracts pollinating insects. Therefore, it is often planted in greenhouses and greenhouses where insect-pollinated plants are grown - in particular, cucumbers. Another advantage of borage is that this plant kills weeds.

If borage is sown in a heated greenhouse, sowing can be done as early as the end of February or in September. In greenhouses, borage is sown scattered, as well as in rows with an interval of 8-10 cm.

Borage - watering and fertilizing

Caring for borage is not difficult. This includes regular, not too abundant watering, as well as loosening the beds and thinning out the plants. Those plants that are grown for greens are thinned out, leaving an interval of 10 cm between the bushes. Between plants grown for seeds, it is necessary to leave an interval of 35-60 cm. Watering is very important, otherwise the leaves will not be juicy. Fertilizing with organic matter should be done before borage blooms. An infusion of mullein will do.

The first borage crop is harvested 4 weeks after emergence. The most tender and fragrant plants with cotyledons and the first two true leaves (5-7 cm long) are harvested completely, like spinach. Borago should not be allowed to “outgrow”. Old leaves become coarser, lose their taste and delicate smell of fresh cucumber.

Sometimes the cucumber grass is allowed to grow for another 5-7 days and the young leaves are cut off. To preserve them, place them in baskets or boxes in a dark, cool place - then the leaves will remain fresh for several days. After all, on average, from 1 sq. m collect about 1 kg of fresh leaves.

Borago seeds are harvested when a third of the fruits become brown. They ripen in well-ventilated areas, on thick fabric or paper. Completely dried borage plants should be threshed - best in frosty weather. On average, you can get about 200 g of seeds per square meter.

Growing borage: summer residents share their experience on planting and care

Cucumber salad... without cucumbers

It is not at all necessary to add fresh cucumbers to the salad for taste. They can be successfully replaced by a plant scientifically called borage, or popularly called borage or borage.

How to grow

It can be grown in the garden, or at home, even in winter. To do this, you will need a wooden box with holes in the bottom, which is filled with a nutrient mixture. It consists of three parts turf soil and one part humus with the addition of wood ash. Seeds are sown to a depth of 2-3 cm. Growing plants should be 15-20 cm apart from each other.

The box can be placed on the windowsill. Borago does not require additional lighting; ordinary daylight is sufficient for it.

On a note

Young leaves are eaten and removed until the flower shoot appears. You can also sprinkle the fresh flowers of the plant with sugar - this is a wonderful treat, especially for children.

Varieties

Dwarf. The period from full germination to harvesting greens is 25-30 days. The plant is up to 30-60 cm high. The leaf is large, oval in shape, in adult plants it is hairy and pubescent. Blue flower. The weight of one plant is 200 g.

Vladykinskoe semko. The period from germination to harvesting for greens is 40-45 days. The rosette of leaves is semi-spreading, the leaf is large, oval, heavily pubescent. The stem is erect, branched, thick, with pubescence. The flowers are large, blue in color. Plants are not very demanding on growing conditions.

Brook. The period from full germination to harvesting greens is 40-50 days. The plant is spreading with intensive branching. The rosette of leaves is horizontal, 20 cm in diameter, up to 40 cm in height. The leaf is medium-sized, sessile, dark green, with a slight waxy coating, oblong, slightly wrinkled. Blue flower. Young leaves with soft pubescence. The weight of one plant is 100 g.