More about Borage Flowers

When pollinated flowers formed fruit in four compartments of the ovary in each case a hard, lonely nuts. Mature they are about five millimeters long and dark brown in color. At its base is a so-called elaiosome, a protein body.

This elaiosome play in the local distribution of the plant a large role because it is the mature seeds as food for ants interesting. From the blossom falling seeds are collected by ants and taken to the often distant burrows. The elaiosome there is replaced by the ants and transported out of the undamaged seed out of the building. This expansion strategy is called Myrmechorie.

Borage is a plant-based initially in the Mediterranean area and get there before especially on brownfield sites. It is now cultivated in most of Europe and North America. Because of this targeted introduction to the one they ethelochoren plants. As a refugee garden is overgrown in some places.

After Central Europe the borage reached only in the late Middle Ages. He was first cultivated in France and came from there to Germany. Already in the 16th Century was cultivated the plant in cottage gardens frequently.

Borage contains small amounts (about 10 mg per kilogram of dried plant) of various pyrrolizidine (amabiline, intermedine, Lycopsamin, supinine). These are regarded as toxic for the liver, so a regular consumption of borage is not recommended. An occasional consumption is considered safe, however, as a consumption of flowers and seeds, because without this the mentioned alkaloids. Borage also contains mucilage, tannins, resin, saponin, potassium nitrate, silicic acid, gamma linolenic acid, essential oil. The vitamin C content of the fresh plant is 149.3 mg per 100 g Frischegewicht.

The leaves of borage are eaten in salads or cooked in soups. From about three millimeters long, dark seeds can oil (borage seed oil) are obtained. Borage is a component of green sauce, a typical dish of German regional cuisine, which is enjoying great popularity particularly in the Frankfurt area.

The blue flowers you can use as a salad decoration - they are edible (and contain far fewer alkaloids than the leaves). However, only the salad dressing on the salad and then give the flowers, because vinegar does the color of the flowers turn into red. Previously we found from the flowers also produce a confectionery, decorated with sweets. The flowers were to spread with beaten egg white and sprinkled with powdered sugar and then dried.






Source: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borretsch

See also: International Flower Delivery, Florist