The leaves of the borage plant have a cool, cucumber-like aroma and taste, and they are rich in calcium and potassium. Leaves and flowers are used in salads, and in Europe the leaves are cooked as a vegetable. Dried or fresh leaves are used to season stews and soups and to flavour wine cups and other drinks. Borage is also grown for bee feeding. Diuretic, demulcent, emollient.
Borage is much used in France for fevers and pulmonary complaints.
By virtue of its saline constituents, it promotes the activity of the kidneys and for this reason is employed to carry off feverish catarrhs. Its demulcent qualities are due to the mucilage contained in the whole plant. For internal use, an infusion is made of 1 OZ of leaves to 1 pint of boiling water, taken in wineglassful doses. Externally, it is employed as a poultice for inflammatory swellings. Borage North American Flower Essence 0.25 oz Flower essences are simply traditional herbal infusions or decoctions made from the flowering part of the plant.