Forget me Not is native to
Europe and Asia. It is also
called
Myosotis scorpioides and
Myosotis palustriscan.
The Forget-me-not is a
perennial that grows 5 to 12
inches high in alpine
meadows. Forget me not
plants can be annual, in the
sense that their life last
for one year or it can be
perennial, in the sense that
their life - namely,
germination, flowering, and
death take more than two
years.
Most of the members of this
species have flat blue
flowers with five petals
growing thickly on stems.
They grow in a slightly
disorderly fashion. The
flowers have five connected
salviform petals, colored
sky blue that are a quarter
to a third of an inch wide.
They have a white inner ring
and a yellow center. They
come in clusters of tiny
simple flowers.
The best time to see the
alpine forget-me-not is
midsummer, from late June to
late July
They are popular in gardens,
grow abundantly along shady
streams and is cultivated as
a border plant and under
trees in gardens.
Forget-Me-Not is easy to
grow. They will bloom
profusely in shady areas and
do not require a lot of
attention. They prefer
shade, but will do well in
sun, too. They grow well in
average soils but the soil
should be kept moist. Add a
general purpose fertilizer
once or twice a season. They
may need mulching for winter
protection in northern
areas, or grow them as a
biennial.
Forget-Me-Not plants make a
wonderful carpet or ground
cover under taller plants or
small deciduous trees, and
looks best planted in large
"pools" or masses.
Did you know?
·
There are about 50 species
in the genus.
·
The forget-me-not is the
state flower of
Alaska.
·
Legend has it that in
medieval times, a knight and
his lady were walking along
the side of a river. He
picked a posy of flowers,
but because of the weight of
his armor he fell into the
river. As he was drowning he
threw the posy to his loved
one and shouted
"Forget-me-not". This is a
flower connected with
romance and tragic fate. It
was often worn by ladies as
a sign of faithfulness and
enduring love.
·
The Forget-me-not are
traditionally worn by
Newfoundlanders on
July 1st in
remembrance of those
Newfoundlanders that died
during the First World War.