borage

I am borage – a shimmering blue sea of ​​blossoms that shines brightly from June to August. Up close, my star-shaped, intensely luminous flowers look almost like tiny creatures from another world. They nod downwards in dense clusters, making you almost want to stand on your head to get a good look – just like the bees and bumblebees do, hanging upside down from my nectar-rich flowers.

My annual form, which grows up to about 60 cm tall, is covered in fine bristles that glitter in the sunlight like a shimmering mist, protecting me at the same time. Inside my flowers, pointed stamens and pistils rise up, surrounded by five delicate petals – a perfect target for my most important visitors.

Due to its high nectar content, borage is considered an excellent plant for bees and bumblebees. There is a special interaction between the flower and the bee: In the center of the flower, the stamens form a so-called pollen cone, in which the pollen collects. Only when the bee, while collecting nectar, inserts its head between the stamens is the pollen released, enabling pollination. My downward-pointing blossoms and compact center provide them with a secure foothold. As they collect nectar, they are pollinated from above – a clever system. Butterflies, on the other hand, visit me less frequently: they lack a suitable landing surface, and my rather viscous nectar doesn't meet their needs.

My color change is a particularly striking spectacle: young blossoms initially appear pink to violet. As they mature, the pH value in the flower cells changes – it rises – and the blossoms turn a vibrant blue. This color change is closely linked to the flower's development: while young, pinkish-violet blossoms contain relatively little nectar, the fully developed, blue blossoms are especially rich in nectar and pollen. This color display most likely serves as a visual guidance system for pollinators – showing them which flowers are "worthwhile" and should be visited.

A particularly striking spectacle is my color change: young blossoms initially appear pink to violet. I am not only a visual delight in the garden, but also a valuable companion for both people and nature – a silent helper that attracts buzzing life and simultaneously possesses gentle powers. The exact origin of the scientific name Borago is not entirely clear. One possible explanation traces it back to the Spanish or Late Latin word borra, meaning "shaggy beard hair." From this, terms such as the Italian boragine and the French bourrache developed, from which the German name Borretsch eventually arose.

The plant owes its name, cucumber herb, to its flavor: it is traditionally used in pickling cucumbers, where it enhances the aroma. Borage likely arrived in Spain via the Arabs during the Middle Ages and from there spread throughout the Mediterranean region. As a cultivated plant, it was initially grown in gardens and later naturalized.

Its slightly cucumber-like flavor makes it a popular ingredient in salads or as a cooked vegetable. It is also an essential component of Frankfurt Green Sauce.

Last but not least, the delicate blue flower of borage is sometimes associated with the famous “Blue Flower” of Romanticism, which is considered a symbol of longing and the pursuit of the infinite.