Picture shows a field of blue borage near Huntingdon, Cambs,this week(July 3). Fields of beautiful blue borage are flowering in the sun as an increasing number of UK farmers are now growing the herb to meet a rising demand for its oil. Swathes of the blue star-shaped flowers are blossoming across Britain and will soon be harvested to make borage oil, which can help with conditions including arthritis, eczema and rosacea. Borage is an excellent source of gamma linolenic acid (GLA), a fatty acid which is anti-inflammatory and is sold as star flower capsules or used in skin creams. The medicinal
Picture shows a field of blue borage near Huntingdon, Cambs,this week(July 3). Fields of beautiful blue borage are flowering in the sun as an increasing number of UK farmers are now growing the herb to meet a rising demand for its oil. Swathes of the blue star-shaped flowers are blossoming across Britain and will soon be harvested to make borage oil, which can help with conditions including arthritis, eczema and rosacea. Borage is an excellent source of gamma linolenic acid (GLA), a fatty acid which is anti-inflammatory and is sold as star flower capsules or used in skin creams. The medicinal crop is also popular with farmers because it is unaffected by slugs and pigeons and has a high gross margin. It also benefits bees as when the flowers start to bloom they collect their pollen, helping to boost their population. Chief combinable crops adviser Jack Watts said: ÒAny growing market that allows farmers and growers to diversify and spread risk has to be viewed positively.Ó Borage tastes like cucumber and can also be used as a herb for cooking. It can be used in salads, dried as a herb, or used as tea leaves in soups. The UK grows around 2,000 hectares of borage.
Size: 5450px × 3062px
Location: Huntingdon Cambridgeshire
Photo credit: © Geoffrey Robinson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: blue, borage, cambridgeshire, field, flowering, flowers, healthcare, herb, herbal, medicine, oil, plant
