Is Borage deer resistant?
Borago officinalis
Plant typeAnnualHardinessGrown as an annual, any zoneLightFull sunMature height19–38 inBloomSummer and Fall
MaintenanceLow, mostly leave it alone
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Borage
Bristly leaves and stems keep deer off, and bees favour the blue flowers over almost anything else. It self-sows hard, so pull the seedlings you do not want early.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Average garden soil
- Water
- Low
- Spacing
- 18 to 24 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Low
Similar to Borage
Other annuals with the same deer rating.
- Annual CandytuftIberis umbellataGrown as an annual, any zoneSeldom damaged
- Annual SalviaSalvia splendensGrown as an annual, any zoneSeldom damaged
- Annual VerbenaVerbena x hybridaGrown as an annual, any zoneSeldom damaged
- Bachelor's ButtonsCentaurea cyanusGrown as an annual, any zoneSeldom damaged
- BasilOcimum basilicumGrown as an annual, any zoneSeldom damaged
- California PoppyEschscholzia californicaGrown as an annual, any zoneSeldom damaged
Where Borage grows
Hardy across most of these 51 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
Browse from here
Every list Borage belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Borage
- Is Borage deer resistant?
- Borage (Borago officinalis) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- What hardiness zones does Borage grow in?
- Borage is hardy in USDA zones 2 to 11. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Borage grow in shade?
- No. Borage wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does Borage get?
- Mature height is roughly 19–38 in. Growth rate is fast.
- Is Borage toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Borage as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.