GardenWizzPlant Care Card

Borage

Borago officinalis · Annual

Hardiness
H5 Hardy — cold winter (to −10 to −15°C)
Position
Full sun, Partial shade
Height × Spread
60–100 cm × —
Soil
Any reasonably drained soil; dislikes waterlogged conditions. Tolerates chalk, clay, loam, sand. pH acid, alkaline, or neutral.
Flowering
June–September
Toxicity
Contains liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in leaves and seed oil. Honey from borage may also contain PAs.

The Gardening Year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
🌱 Sow
🪴 Plant out
🌸 In flower

Watch out for

Slugs and snails: Use physical barriers like copper tape or crushed eggshells, or apply iron phosphate pellets.

Powdery mildew: Improve air circulation, avoid overhead watering, and treat with a sulphur-based fungicide if severe.

Leaf-mining flies: Remove and destroy heavily infested leaves; encourage natural predators like parasitic wasps.

Root rot: Ensure well-drained soil and avoid waterlogging; remove affected plants to prevent spread.

Vine weevil: Apply nematodes to the soil in autumn and spring to control larvae, or use biological controls.

Full guide: gardenwizz.com/plants/borago-officinalis © GardenWizz — UK gardening encyclopedia