Borraja
Borago officinalis
Una hierba anual mediterránea, áspera y de porte extendido, cultivada por sus llamativos racimos abiertos de flores colgantes en forma de estrella, de un intenso color azul, que aparecen en verano. Los tallos ramificados y las hojas mate gris-verdosas arrugadas están cubiertos de pelos bristosos y desprenden sabor y fragancia a pepino. Fácil en suelos pobres y secos, tolerante a la sequía, un imán para las abejas y una autosembradora que regresa al jardín año tras año.
Climate fit: moderate (69/100)
Pollinator
Edible
Filler
Light
Full sun / Part shade
Water
Low water
Mature size
12-36" tall · 18" apart
Hardy in zones
2a-11b
brutally cold to nearly frost-free winters
AHS heat range
1-11
Plant range authored in AHS heat-zone terms.
Native in Illinois
No
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A documented larval host for the Painted lady — caterpillars feed on its foliage before becoming the next generation.
Cold hardiness
Future
These values are location-based: this location's current hardiness is the baseline, and the 2050 value is a projected future climate for this same location.
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Published baseline for this location from 1991-2020.
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Well-suited
2050
Zone 7a
Plotwright
Projected zone for this same location in 2050 (2041-2070) using SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry).
Well-suited
In plain terms: This location is in Zone 6b today. Its hardiness profile is cold winters, and coldest nights are typically around -3°F. By 2050, the projected hardiness zone is Zone 7a based on SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry). That is a +0.5-zone shift from Zone 6b to Zone 7a by 2050.
✓
Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Future
Heat tolerance values are location-based too: heat days today are observed at this site, and the 2050 value projects this same location under a future climate.
Loading AHS heat-zone data for this location...
Where this plant fits
Suitable across 45 ecoregions — 45 climate-resilient through 2070. Best matches first.
Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests
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Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests
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Arizona Mountains forests
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Atlantic coastal pine barrens
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Blue Mountains forests
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California coastal sage and chaparral
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Canadian Aspen forests and parklands
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Central Pacific Northwest coastal forests
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Central Tallgrass prairie
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Central-Southern Cascades Forests
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Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Borraja (Borago officinalis). Retrieved 2026, June 14, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/borago-officinalis
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited - 18 source-backed.
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC0 1.0 — public domain dedication
Backs 1 field
Image