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Borage (view source)

Revision as of 22:36, 10 February 2010

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{{SPlantbox
 
{{SPlantbox
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|genus=Borage
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|familia=Boraginaceae
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|genus=Borago
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|species=officinalis
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|taxo_author=L.
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|common_name=Borage
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|habit=herbaceous
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|Min ht box=60
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|Min ht metric=cm
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|Max ht box=1
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|Max ht metric=m
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|lifespan=annual
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|flowers=blue
 
|Temp Metric=°F
 
|Temp Metric=°F
 
|jumpin=If this plant info box on watering; zones; height; etc. is mostly empty you can click on the edit tab and fill in the blanks!
 
|jumpin=If this plant info box on watering; zones; height; etc. is mostly empty you can click on the edit tab and fill in the blanks!
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|image=Upload.png
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|image=Borage-overv-hr.jpg
 
|image_width=240
 
|image_width=240
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|image_caption=Borage plant
 
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'''Borage''', also known as '''starflower''' is an [[Annual plant|annual]] [[herb]] originating in [[Syria]], but naturalized throughout the Mediterranean region, as well as Asia Minor, Europe, North Africa, and South America. It grows to a height of {{convert|60|-|100|cm|ft|abbr=on}}, and is bristly or hairy all over the stems and [[leaf|leaves]]; the leaves are alternate, simple, and {{convert|5|-|15|cm|in|abbr=on}} long. The [[flower]]s are complete, perfect with five narrow, triangular-pointed petals. Flowers are most often blue in color, although pink flowers are sometime observed. White flowered types are also cultivated. The flowers arise along scorpiod cymes to form large floral displays with multiple flowers blooming simultaneously, suggesting that borage has a high degree of [[geitonogamy]]. It has an indeterminate growth habit which may lead to prolific spreading. In milder climates, borage will bloom continuously for most of the year. Borage production does include use as either a fresh vegetable or a dried herb.
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{{Inc|
 
{{Inc|
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Borage (Borago officinalis, Linn.). Fig. 592. Boraginaceae. A coarse annual plant grown for culinary use in some parts of Eu., as in Germany. Used as a potherb and sometimes with salads. Only the young lvs. are palatable. Mostly known in this country as a bee-plant and for its handsome blue or purplish racemed fls. It is a hairy plant, 1½-2 ft. high, with oval or oblong Lvs. Eu., N. Afr. Eng. Bot. 1 :36. Borago laxiflora DC., is a small, decumbent alpine, but of easy cult., offered in the trade. It has alternate, ovate lvs., hairy throughout, and pretty, long-peduncled, purple or violet fls. Corsica. B.M. 1798.— Little known in Amer.
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Borage (Borago officinalis, Linn.). Boraginaceae. A coarse annual plant grown for culinary use in some parts of Eu., as in Germany. Used as a potherb and sometimes with salads. Only the young lvs. are palatable. Mostly known in this country as a bee-plant and for its handsome blue or purplish racemed fls. It is a hairy plant, 1½-2 ft. high, with oval or oblong Lvs. Eu., N. Afr. Eng. Borago laxiflora DC., is a small, decumbent alpine, but of easy cult., offered in the trade. It has alternate, ovate lvs., hairy throughout, and pretty, long-peduncled, purple or violet fls. Corsica.
 
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{{Taxobox
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==Cultivation==
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| color = lightgreen
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| name = Borage
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| image = Starflower_1.jpg
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===Propagation===
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| image_width = 240px
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| image_caption = Borage flower
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| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
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| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
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| classis = [[Dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
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| ordo = [[Lamiales]]
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| familia = [[Boraginaceae]]
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| genus = ''[[Borago]]''
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| species = '''''B. officinalis'''''
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| binomial = ''Borago officinalis''
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| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
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}}
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'''Borage''' ''(Borago officinalis or Echium amoenum)'', also known as "starflower", (گل گاو زبان in Persian) is an annual [[herb]] originating in Syria, but naturalized throughout the Mediterranean region, as well as most of [[Europe]], North Africa, and Iran. It grows to a height of 60-100 cm (2-3 feet), and is bristly-hairy all over the stems and [[leaf|leaves]]; the leaves are alternate, simple, and 5-15 cm (2-6 in) long. The [[flower]]s are small, blue or pink, with five narrow, triangular-pointed petals. It produces plenty of seeds and thus continues to grow and spread prolifically from where it is first sown or planted. In milder climates, borage will bloom continuously for most of the year.
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[[Image:Borage.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Borage plant]]
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===Pests and diseases===
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The leaves have been found to contain small amounts (10 ppm of dried herb) of the [[hepatotoxicity|liver-toxic]] [[pyrrolizidine]] [[alkaloid]]s: [[intermedine]], [[lycopsamine]], [[amabiline]] and [[supinine]]. They taste like fresh [[cucumber]] and are used in salads and soups especially in [[Germany]]. One of the better known recipes with borage is the [[Green Sauce]] made in [[Frankfurt]]. Frankfurter Grüne Sauce, as it is called in Germany, is made from seven herbs: [[parsley]], [[chervil]], [[chives]], [[Watercress|cress]], [[sorrel]], [[Sanguisorba|burnet]] and '''borage'''. Borage is also an ingredient in the traditional recipe for a [[Pimm's Cup]]. In the spanish regions of Aragón and Navarra it's also a common dish, one of the simplest recipes uses winter bourages (because these have grown slowly and taste better), bourages are cooked before flowers appear (but it's not mandatory as flowers can be put with the rest of the bourage into the boiling water too) and are usually boiled with a pair of potatoes. Once it's on the dish, the potatoes and borage are seasoned with a little olive oil and salt.
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The flower, which contains the non-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid [[thesinine]], has a sweet honey-like taste and is often used to decorate [[dessert]]s and dishes. If frozen into ice-cubes, the flowers become exotic drink coolers.
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The oil that is extracted from the seeds (marketed as "starflower oil" or "borage oil") is a good source of [[gamma-linolenic acid]].
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==Varieties==
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Borage is also rich in [[oleic acid|oleic]] and [[palmitic acid|palmitic]] acid, conferring a hypocholesterolemic effect.  This oil, which has recently been commercialised, may regulate metabolism and the hormonal system, and is considered by many naturopathic practitioners to be a good remedy for [[PMS]] and [[menopause]] symptoms such as the [[hot flash]].  Borage is also sometimes indicated to alleviate and heal colds, bronchitis, and respiratory infections in general for its [[anti-inflammatory]] and balsamic properties. The flowers can be prepared in infusion to take advantage of its medicinal properties.
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[[Image:Borage-flower-hr.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Detail of flower]]
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==Gallery==
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{{Herbs & spices}}
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<gallery perrow=5>
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Image:Borago officinalis (flower).jpg|Detail of flower
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File:Borago officinalis white flower.jpg|A white flower [[cultivar]]
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Image:Upload.png| photo 1
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Image:Upload.png| photo 2
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Image:Upload.png| photo 3
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</gallery>
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==As a Companion Plant==
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==References==
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Borage is not only a pretty, flowering, edible herb, but it also improves the flavor of tomato vines when grown withen a few feet of them.
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<references/>
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==See also==
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*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
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*[[Flower]]
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<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
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*[[Herb]]
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<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
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*[[Plant]]
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<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->
    
==External links==
 
==External links==
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{{commons|Borago officinalis|Borage}}
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*{{wplink}}
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* [http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Bora_off.html Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages]
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* [http://www.maltawildplants.com/BORG/Borago_officinalis.html  Comprehensive profile for ''Borago officinalis'' from the website MaltaWildPlants.com]
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[[Category:Boraginaceae]]
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{{stub}}
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[[Category:Herbs]]
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__NOTOC__
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[[Category:Leaf vegetables]]
 
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