(delicious, if somewhat scary) ---
This is borage. It would not be out of place in Jurassic Park. It is HUGE- about 3 feet tall now- and this is just in a container, folks. I planted 4 of these suckers. The bottom leaves are as big as salad plates. Apparently it can grow much, much larger than this if planted in the ground- but it's only June, so I'm hopeful. The enormous stem and leaves are covered in little prickles, and it reminds me for all the world of Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors. But see all those little bright blue flowers? They are simply delicious. They are sweet- sort of like honeydew melon. And bumblebees *love* them. I've had multiple sightings of bumbles in the last few days, and they make a beeline to these beautiful blue babies. Bumbles are a good sign- they usually arrive shortly before honeybees. Come on, beeeees! You can do it!
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10 comments:
I just planted 3 borage plants in my garden. They aren't big, but are growing well. I love the flower colours - now I'm looking forward to eating them.
These guys run rampant in our garden, popping up all over the place! the rabbits like the flowers, and so do we. The borage flower is supposed to be good for fortifying your courage.
huh.....never hear of it. But the flowers sure are pretty!
Borage grows wild here in the Languedoc, along the edges of the vineyards, on the roadsides and on any rough patch of ground. They flower in spring - April to May - so they're over now. It is a herb and I think you can put leaves and flowers into drinks and salads. The flowers are beautiful, aren't they?
That plant is amazing. I have never seen it before. I don't know if it will grow in my climate, but I'm willing to give it a try. Did you start this from seed?
I hadn't heard of it until this year and now its everywhere!
This week I recieved seeds from Greenbean Dreams. She was giving seeds for a day. I can hardly wait to see how they turn out.
Usually - I never get to have any... the buns nosh it to bits.
Chaiselongue- the flowers are certainly my new favorite flower. I would like to serve them sprinkled over homemade honeydew melon granita... mmm.
Greenfire, I did grow the borage from seed- I got the seeds from Johnny's. Every seed I started germinated. I added a lot of sand to the planter for the peas from earlier in the season, so it just might like good drainage, too. It probably grows pretty much anywhere.
Verde, good luck with your borage babies!
Yes those are tough plants I know. Once they get started you might have a good batch the next year!
This was one of the first herbs I ever grew, and one of the first to survive my amateur gardening flub-ups...only I didn't know quite what to do with it back then. It's a wonderful plant...so glad you highlighted it here :)
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