I have a ton of borage plants growing in my backyard. I know their nectar make good honey for honey bees. My bees are all over the blossoms of these plants. I also heard they are an edible wild plant. I am curious on which part of the plant is edible and how to prepare it? What is you favorite recipe, if you do consume this plant, and if you don't mind sharing? Thanks.
Borage blossoms are used in salads, for garnish on cakes, and the plant is used in tea; so yes, it is edible. Happy eating!
Any special preparation necessary? I see a lot of fine fuzz or thorns. The blossoms can be eaten as is like rose pedals in salads? Leaves can be harvested and dried for tea? What about the stems? When I remove the plant and break the stem, it has a scent of watermelon. Any additional guidance is appreciated!
@JChangOC if you pinch the flower blossom it will come right off, i eat them raw, on salads or i put it in jello because my kids think its cool, they'll just snack on them right out of the garden... To some people they taste like cucumbers, to others shell fish, not sure if thats a genetic thing like cilantro or maybe different strains of the flower but you can just go ahead and eat the flowers raw at any rate
Pinch right at the black part of the flower bud*
Thank you!
https://www.thespruceeats.com/frankfurts-green-sauce-sour-cream-herbs-1447303 ... very delicious and one of my favorites. Uses pretty much anything you have growing herb/wild around your place including butt nuggets we all get swamped with during spring.
Instead of sour cream and yoghurt, you can just use whole milk.
Borage leaves can be dried for tea and is great for adrenal fatigue. Tastes like cucumber!
Out this early afternoon trying to transfer a young colony recently captured to a full size hive. Some cross-combing happening, so I held back the transfer. My mentor will come by this weekend to show me how to properly address the cross-comb situation.
I ended up working in the backyard for a bit. Came across the large wild borage patch in the back corner, so I pinched off a couple blossoms and ate them. Absolutely taste and smell like cucumber. Not bad.
I am going to try the leaves next. My understanding is to pick the young leaves so the spines are not large and stiff. I assume the older leaves can be dried for tea.
Borage is an absolute bee attractant for sure.
May and June are the absolutely great time to capture wild feral bee swarms. Free, and above all, stronger colonies than commercial colonies. I set up a nuc box to try to attract another swarm.
@JChangOC From what I have heard, bees are attracted to purple and blue flowers the most so it makes sense that Borage is a great attractor! It also is said to help repel tomato hornworms so I grow it in my tomato beds and I think it did help last year.
Havent, but if the bees like it I would look into setting up a new hive. Would always have honey on hand.
It is. The plant is super-hairy, though. The new leaves are less so, and it's these and the flowers that are mostly eaten. You wouldn't want to eat too much of it, but it is delicious. Eaten at the right time, the flowers have an almost oysterish taste, and the leaves are reminiscent of cucumber. I love it because the bees love it and it attracts them all through the summer in our garden.
onplanners
I only tried the flowers. Will be trying to pick the young leaves to try. I have two colonies of bees that I keep, so the blossoms will generate nectar for the bees. This is working out really well. The plants reseed itself season after season.
I've heard eating too much may cause liver issues. So, I would use it occasionally. :-)
I also have this growing abundantly in my backyard, Perilla frutescensvar.crispa, or Shiso. It appears to be in the mint family. Just like borage, it reseeds itself.
I picked some today and added to my salad. Not bad.
We also have sweet potato plants growing in the front and backyard. We primarily eat the leaves. We only dig up the roots when the time comes to replant with new cuttings for a fresh crop.