Alba Borage is a pristine white-flowering heirloom variety of Borago officinalis that blooms prolifically from summer through fall across hardiness zones 3 to 10. This frost-tolerant annual reaches a compact 30 inches tall and produces abundant edible flowers and foliage ready for harvest in 70 to 84 days from seed. Unlike the common blue borage, Alba's luminous white blooms attract pollinators with equal vigor while offering the same culinary and medicinal appeal that has made borage a kitchen garden staple for centuries.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-10
30in H x 18in W
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Moderate
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Alba Borage produces pristine white star-shaped flowers that bloom continuously from June through November, making it one of the longest-flowering varieties in the borage family. The compact 30-inch height and moderate water needs mean it adapts easily to containers or garden beds, while its frost tolerance allows gardeners in cold climates to enjoy blooms well into autumn. Both flowers and leaves are edible with a delicate cucumber-like flavor, and the plant's prolific nectar production transforms any garden into a pollinator haven.
Alba Borage flowers and leaves are eaten fresh in salads, where their mild cucumber-like flavor and striking white color add visual appeal and subtle flavor to summer dishes. The edible blooms are commonly floated in beverages, used as garnish on desserts, and crystallized for decoration. The young leaves can be harvested and used fresh in culinary preparations, taking advantage of the plant's extended blooming season from June through November.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow seeds indoors in pots 3 to 4 weeks before your last frost date. Keep soil temperature at 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit and expect seedlings to emerge in 7 to 14 days. Plant out after frost danger has passed.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date when soil and air temperatures have warmed. Space plants 1 inch apart to ensure adequate air circulation and reduce disease pressure.
Direct sow seeds outdoors after the last frost date. This is the recommended sowing method for Alba Borage.
Harvest flowers and leaves as needed for fresh use throughout the season, picking only what you will use immediately. For drying, harvest at peak maturity and hang small bunches from the ceiling in a warm (80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit), dark location with good ventilation for 1 to 2 weeks. If harvesting for essential oil distillation, cut the plant when blooms are just beginning to appear, as the leaves contain their highest essential oil concentration at this stage.
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