Known as early-flowering borage, Trachystemon is a tough, quick growing, deciduous ground cover perennial. It is perfect for covering large, shady areas under trees and shrubs, or on banks where other plants may find it difficult to grow or be tended. Related to the herb borage, Trachystemon is grown by gardeners for its starry, blue-violet flowers in spring, on pinkish, bare stems, often before the large, bristly, heart-shaped leaves emerge or take over.

It cannot be over-stated that these plants are hugely accommodating when it comes to light: they like to grow in shade, and even quite dense shade, but trachystemons also do very well in full sun. Early-flowering borage plants spread by underground rhizomes and, when allowed to grow naturally, their healthy-looking coarse green leaves form attractive, overlapping mounds. They provide rapid cover in even dry shade, watering is advisable during very dry spells, otherwise the plants look after themselves. Trachystemon grow particularly well in garden borders with such plants as Hosta and Lamium, as well as hardy ferns.

The only species in the genus is Trachystemon orientalis, which some gardeners still refer to as Abraham-Isaac-Jacob (the three founding-fathers of Judaism); it is thought that this refers to the three colour shades the flowers go through from the time they open to the time theyfade. The plant originates from eastern Europe, and down into Turkey.