Borago officinalis

cult, Coromandel. December.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.

Auckland. Dec 2006.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.

Masterton.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 06/11/2006, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

in cultivation.<br>Photographer: Jesse Bythell, Date taken: 20/11/2010, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

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Common names

borage

Family

Boraginaceae

Authority

Borago officinalis L.

Flora category

Vascular – Exotic

Structural class

Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites

Conservation status

Not applicable

Flower colours

Blue, White

Year naturalised

1970

Origin

C. Europe, Mediterranean

Etymology

borago: Derivation uncertain, may be from medieval Latin borra or burra ‘rough hair’ in reference to the foliage. Linnaeus states the name derives from corago (from the Latin cor ‘heart’ and ago ‘to act’) from its use in medicine in medicine as a heart sedative

officinalis: From the Latin officina shortened from opificina which originally meant ‘workshop’ but later came to mean a monastic storeroom, herb-room or pharmacy. Refers to the plant’s real or perceived medicinal value.

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