Forget-me-not (Myosotis)
Forget-me-not Myosotis
Monthly Theme: Don’t be BLUE – I have Forget-me-nots for YOU!
Gardeners are often looking for true blue flowers for their gardens. There are so many shades of purple flowers, but not as many with a blue hue. One of my favorite blue plants is Forget-me-not Myosotis. Other blue notes in my yard include False Indigo Baptisia Australis and Bachelor buttons Centaurea cyanus. Planted on both sides of my driveway are Blue Star Amsonia Tabermaemontana plants, which are truly blue. Also, I have Big Blue Lilyturf Liriope muscari, but it looks more purple to me.
But I digress, let’s get back to Forget-me-nots! Mine are sprinkled amongst Feverfew Tanacetum parthenium,
Common Blue Violets Viola sororia (which are really purple), and my grandma’s Lily of the valley Convallaria majalis. My Forget-me-nots are mostly sky blue with a few white plants here and there. They also come in pink and yellow varieties. Unlike me, they don’t mind crowds. They drop seeds so don’t expect them to come back in the same spot.
Forget-me-nots belong to the Boraginaceae family. Each delicate and dainty flower has five petals and the yellow center looks like a pentagram. If the leaves have a hairy texture, they are an annual M. sylvatica, but if they have glossy-smooth leaves, they are perennial M. scorpiodes. Perennial varieties sprout from underground roots and the annual varieties propagate by self-seeding; however, these are really biennial. I’ve had both types and the annuals have done better. In Ohio, they bloom from May through June. They grow well beneath trees or shrubs, within rock gardens, and can be used as cut flowers.
How to Plant
Choose a location with partial shade
Sow seeds several weeks before the last frost, but they won’t bloom much the first year.
They prefer rich, moist, and well-drained soil.
Water regularly
Smarty Plants Fun Facts
Plant Hardiness Zones 5-7 (perennial variety)
Forget-me-not plants belong to the Boraginaceae family
Full sun to Partial shade
Up to 2’ tall (perennials); 6”-8” tall (annuals)
Relatively free of pests and diseases
Low/easy maintenance
Tulips in a Vase, Pierre-Auguste Renoir
The More You Grow
The scientific name for Forget-me-not is Myosotis, which means mouse’s ear. It’s a compound of two Greek words mus (mouse) and otis (ears). It was given that name because the plant’s foliage looks like mouse ears. It’s also called Scorpion grass. The genus originated in the northern hemisphere. That species is native to New Zealand, Australia, New Guinea and South America.
I’ve heard it said, it’s all in the name. Well, with a name like Forget-me-not the stories and tales easily follow suit. Here’s some folklore that is associated with this plant. A French knight and his girlfriend were walking along a river. The knight saw a tiny blue flower and picked it up for his girlfriend. He lost his balance because of his heavy armor and fell into the river. He tossed the flower to his girlfriend and cried out, “Forget me not!” as he was washed away by the current to his untimely death.
In Germany, there was a legend about Forget-me-not’s regarding when God created the earth. It was said that God created and named all the flowers, but forgot to name one plant. God was ready to leave and the little flower shouted, “Forget me not, God!” God looked back at the little plant and said, “Your name will be Forget-me-not so no one will ever forget you.”
Over the years, the Forget-me-not plant became a symbol of love, affection, loyalty, and memories. But there are more symbolical meanings associated with this plant. During the middle ages, lovers in Germany wore Forget-me-nots as a reminder of their love for each other. Even today, it is a symbol of freemasons who suffered during WWII. The Masonic organization felt this flower sent a clear message that we should not forget the poor and the ill. Some Alzheimer organizations have adopted the flower as a symbol of memory loss. The Forget-me-not flower is an emblem of the international missing children’s day. Additionally, it’s the symbol of the 1915 Armenian genocide remembrance.
Next time you look at a Forget-me-not flower don’t be blue, but remember a true love, a fond memory or a treasured friend.