Forget-me-not Cultivation and Growing Tips

• These plants are very easy to grow from seed. Sow one year and they flower the next because most varieties are biennials.
• Forget-me-nots are usually blue but are also found in pink and white and shades of blue.
• Forget-me-nots are dwarf, compact plants upto a foot tall! A fantastic addition to spring beds and borders.
• The plants complement golden Daffodils yellow Wallflowers and Primulas.
• Sow May -June and thin out. Plants self sow all over my garden so clear out any invaders.
• Plants can also be purchase to avoid the problems of sowing your own.
• Naturalised flowers become less spectacular – renew with seed every few years. Try a stronger strain.

Forget-me-not Common Names and Varieties to Consider

• Myosotis is the Latin name for Forget-me-nots. It is a family of 50 species. See main varieties at the foot of this page
• Historically it got the name ‘mouse ears’ due to the shape of its leaves.
• Varieties to look out for include Ultramarine and Blue ball or for Alpine Forget-me-nots ‘Ruth Fisher’.

Unusual Facts about Forget-me-nots

• Newfoundland in Canada used the Forget-me-not as a symbol of remembrance of that nation’s war dead.
• Germans and Freemasons use forget-me-nots as a symbol not to forget the poor and desperate. (Germany may need a good crop with the economy in such a state.)

Old & Odd Tips From Gardeners Tips on Forget-me-nots

• Plant in drifts around the edge of ponds.
• Pull up and compost plants as they finish flowering – you will still get lots of seedlings.
• Use forget-me-nots as a cut flower when in bud to prolong vase life.

Horticultural Sources and Advice on Forget-me-not

• You can often obtain seeds or plants from our mail order company of choice Thompson & Morgan
• Powdery mildew can be a problem in dry soil. Pull up and destroy infected plants.
• Species include; Myosotis alpestris – Alpine Forget-me-not
  Myosotis arvensis – Field Forget-me-not
  Myosotis asiatica – Asiatic Forget-me-not
  Myosotis azorica – Azores Forget-me-not
  Myosotis caespitosa – Tufted Forget-me-not
  Myosotis discolor – Changing Forget-me-not
  Myosotis latifolia – Broadleaf Forget-me-not
  Myosotis laxa – Tufted Forget-me-not, Bay Forget-me-not
  Myosotis scorpioides – True Forget-me-not
  Myosotis secunda – Creeping Forget-me-not
  Myosotis sicula – Jersey Forget-me-not
  Myosotis sylvatica – Wood Forget-me-not
  Myosotis verna – Spring Forget-me-not

Credits
forget-me-nots by Mags CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Dandelion and Forget-me-nots (1) by Purrrpl_Haze CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Flowers from my granny’s garden by sermoa CC BY-SA 2.0