borago

The origin of borago is genuinely uncertain. Some etymologists connect it to the Arabic abū 'araq (father of sweat) because the plant was used to induce sweating. Others suggest the Latin burra (rough cloth) because of the plant's famously hairy stems and leaves. A third theory traces it to the Late Latin corago (courage), connecting it to the plant's ancient reputation as a courage-booster. All three theories have supporters. None has proof.

Pliny the Elder wrote that borage, added to wine, produced 'exhilaration and cheerfulness.' The medieval Welsh physicians of Myddfai prescribed it to lift spirits. The saying 'Ego borago gaudia semper ago' — 'I, borage, always bring joy' — circulated in medieval herbals. John Gerard, in his 1597 Herbal, reported that borage 'maketh a man merry and joyfull.' The plant had a fifteen-hundred-year unbroken reputation as an antidepressant.

Borage flowers are a striking electric blue — one of the few true blue flowers in the European herb garden. The star-shaped blossoms taste faintly of cucumber and have been used to garnish salads and Pimm's cocktails since at least the eighteenth century. The flowers are the part most people see. The leaves and seeds are the parts that matter medicinally. Borage seed oil is rich in gamma-linolenic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid used in modern supplements.

In modern herb gardens, borage is grown as much for its companion-planting effects as for its culinary use. It attracts pollinators, particularly bees — beekeepers have planted borage near hives for centuries. The plant self-seeds aggressively. Once established, it is nearly impossible to remove. The herb of courage refuses to leave.