borage

Large hairy annual herb (Borago officinalis), an ornamental species with large, rough, oblong leaves and loose, drooping clusters of starlike blue flowers. It is a member of the family Boraginaceae, which contains mostly herbs but also some trees and shrubs, all found in tropical, subtropical, and temperate areas and most concentrated in the Mediterranean region. Several other ornamental species are grown in gardens, including the Virginia bluebell (Mertensia virginica), forget-me-nots, heliotropes, and lungworts (Pulmonaria). Borage is also used as an herbal and bee plant and eaten as a vegetable.

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