Forget-Me-Not
Myosotis sylvatica
Family: Boraginaceae · Also called Scorpion Grass, Mouse Ear, Myosotis arvensis var. grandiflora, Myosotis palustris var. sylvatica, Myosotis perennis var. sylvatica
Green & Fresh · Spring–Summer bloomer
The forget-me-not is living proof that scale doesn't equal impact. Each flower is barely 8mm across, a tiny sky-blue disc with a golden eye, but en masse they create a haze of azure that rivals any border perennial. They self-seed with cheerful abandon, appearing in cracks, walls, and gravel where no one planted them.
true love, remembrance, fidelity
In the Victorian language of flowers, forget-me-not means “True love and remembrance”. Legend says a medieval knight drowned picking these flowers for his lady and cried 'forget me not' as the current took him. Alaska adopted it as state flower in 1917. It's worn on Remembrance Day in Newfoundland and is the official flower of the Alzheimer's Society.
Did You Know?
Forget-me-not flowers start pink and turn blue as they age, this is due to a pH change in the petals. The pink buds are slightly acidic; as they mature and become alkaline, the anthocyanin pigments shift to blue. You can often see both colors on one stem.
Damp woodland margins, stream banks, and mountain meadows
Forget-Me-Not is native to Europe. It naturally grows in damp woodland margins, stream banks, and mountain meadows.
Scent Profile
“Almost unscented, the faintest green, cucumber-like freshness if you press your nose close. This is a flower appreciated for its visual impact, not its perfume.”
Quick Reference
- Scientific NameMyosotis sylvatica
- FamilyBoraginaceae
- Native ToEurope
- Bloom SeasonSpring–Summer
- LifespanBiennial
Cultural Significance
Legend says a medieval knight drowned picking these flowers for his lady and cried 'forget me not' as the current took him. Alaska adopted it as state flower in 1917. It's worn on Remembrance Day in Newfoundland and is the official flower of the Alzheimer's Society.