Borage does not dry well for culinary use. An edible blue dye can be obtained from the flowers. It is used to colour vinegar. Seeds, leaves, and flowers are used medicinally. Because it is a tonic plant for the adrenal glands, borage provides an invaluable support for a stressful lifestyle.
Borage is rich in minerals, especially potassium.
A tea made with borage helps to reduce fevers and ease chest colds. An infusion of borage promotes the production of milk in breast-feeding mothers. Externally it is used as a poultice for inflammatory swellings. The leaves are harvested in late spring and the summer as the plant comes into a flower. They can be used fresh or dried but should not be stored for more than one year because they soon lose their medicinal properties.