What to plan for
- Sunlight
- Sun to part shade
- Water
- Even moisture; avoid saturation
- Spacing
- Check your cultivar
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
- Container
- 3–5 gallons
- Planting window
- See planting guidance
PLANT DETAILS + GROWING CARE
Borage
Botanical reference + cultivation
Borage
Borago officinalisAllow space for rough leaves and manage seedlings; pyrrolizidine alkaloids make medicinal ingestion inappropriate here.
- Water
- Even moisture; avoid saturation
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
GROWING GUIDANCE FOR
Central Maryland / BowieLocal Bowie-area baselineAt a Glance
Is Borage right for your garden?
Start with the plant, the space it needs, and the conditions that determine whether it will thrive.
FOR REFERENCE
Growing knowledge for your garden
This plant is included for reference and is not currently carried by The Central Market. You can save it to My Garden and use the complete care guide.
WHAT IT IS
Borage
Borage (Borago officinalis) is included in the medicinal plants collection. Allow space for rough leaves and manage seedlings; pyrrolizidine alkaloids make medicinal ingestion inappropriate here.
BEST FIT
Choose it when…
Choose sun to part shade, drained soil with steady moisture, and space to check the crop regularly. Establish in spring or early fall while soil is workable and moisture can be maintained.
QUICK PROFILE
What to plan for
- Plant type
- Medicinal Plants
- Life cycle
- Annual
- Sunlight
- Sun to part shade
- Container
- 3–5 gallons
- Water
- Even moisture; avoid saturation
- Target pH
- 6.0–7.0
BEST TIME TO PLANT OUTDOORS
Bowie planting window
- Ideal
- Mid-March–mid-May
- Also Good
- September–mid-October
- Avoid
- Frozen or saturated ground
RIGHT NOW
Wait before planting outdoors
The next recommended Bowie-area window is Mid-March–mid-May. Establish in spring or early fall while soil is workable and moisture can be maintained. Allow space for rough leaves and manage seedlings; pyrrolizidine alkaloids make medicinal ingestion inappropriate here.
Conservative planning windows for Central Maryland, adapted from Extension seasonal guidance. Weather, cultivar maturity, seed instructions, and actual soil conditions determine the final date; these are not observed local trial results.
Can I plant this now?
- Current recommendation
- Wait before planting outdoors
- Current window
- Outside the recommended window
- Next best window
- Mid-March–mid-May
- Guidance location
- Central Maryland / Bowie
- Regional coverage
- Central Maryland coverage
- USDA hardiness zone
- 7b
- Planting method
- Transplant or direct sow
- Cold tolerance
- Frost hardy
Establish in spring or early fall while soil is workable and moisture can be maintained. Allow space for rough leaves and manage seedlings; pyrrolizidine alkaloids make medicinal ingestion inappropriate here.
Plant origins & further reading
Species origin
Western and Central Mediterranean
Mapped countries: Algeria, France, Greece, Italy, Libya, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia
Pins show selected countries in the documented native range; the source lists the full range.
Before you choose it
Allow space for rough leaves and manage seedlings; pyrrolizidine alkaloids make medicinal ingestion inappropriate here. Historical use does not establish efficacy or safety; plant parts, preparations, allergies, pregnancy, and drug interactions matter.
Bowie conditions are the baseline
Container size, microclimate, cultivar, tunnel temperature, and actual weather can move the timing. Use the plant tag and direct observation with this guide.
MARKET AVAILABILITY
For reference
This plant is included for growing reference and is not offered for sale at The Central Market.