Flower Encyclopedia: Forget Me NotForget 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.
