Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis spp.)

Fundamental Facts

HARDINESS: Frost tolerant
PREFERRED SOIL pH: Neutral
PREFERRED SOIL TYPE: Moist, well-drained
PREFERRED LIGHT: Sun to partial shade
ATTRIBUTES: Tiny blue blossoms in spring; for massing in small areas or edging, or as groundcover
SEASON OF INTEREST: Late spring to early summer
FAVORITES: 'Victoria Blue' compact plants; 'Victoria Mixed' lor blue, pink, white
QUIRKS: Grows best in moist soil; quickly dies back in hot weather
GOOD NEIGHBORS: Spring-flowering bulbs, calendula, candytuft, roses and other shrubs
WHERE IT GROWS BEST: Cool climates in filtered sun or partial shade
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS: Aphids
CRITTER RESISTANCE: Good
SOURCE: Bedding plants, seeds
DIMENSIONS: 6-12 in (15.2-30.5 cm) tall, up to 12 in (30.5 cm) wide

Forget-Me-Not in the Landscape

Often willing to spread, or naturalize, in half-shaded flower beds and woodland gardens, forget-me-nots produce a profusion of pale blue blossoms that add a romantic note to spring This plant supposedly gained its common name when a suitor picked a bouquet of its flowers along the banks of a swift-running river. He lost his footing and fell in, shouting "Forget me not" to his lady as the waters carried him away. Whether true or not, the story reveals the habitat that forget-me-nots love best. Often found by stream beds, forget-me-nots thrive anywhere that the soil remains damp and there is some protection from the heat of the sun.

In spring, the low, spreading plants are covered with dainty blossoms, which are usually blue with a yellow eye but can also be pink or white, depending on variety. These charmers are at home when tucked into rock gardens, used as groundcovers under the shade of tall trees and shrubs, such as roses or azaleas, or scattered in a wildflower garden. Forget-me-nots combine well with calendula and perennial candytuft and make a beautiful foundation for spring bulbs, such as daffodils or tulips.

Unforgettable Forget-Me-Not

The wild Myosotis sylvatica has small flowers and copious leaves, so it is better to choose one of the more floriferous named varieties. 'Victoria Blue' forms mound-shaped plants that are covered with gentian blue flowers, while 'Victoria Mixed' features a mixture of colors including blue, white, and rose. 'Rosylva' bears very bright pink flowers on 8 in (20.3 cm) tall plants, and 'Royal Blue Improved' is a little taller with indigo blue flowers. 'Blue Ball' is a very old variety, with rich blue blossoms on 8 in (20.3 cm) tall, rounded plants. When it is pleased with its growing conditions, this variety will self-seed and reappear year after year.

All in the Family

If you have gritty, gravelly, or very well-drained soil, you can try alpine forget-me-not (M. alpetns), an especially cold-tolerant perennial relative that comes from European woodlands. These are densely tufted plants that have very fine hairs covering their leaves and stems. In spring these lovely plants are frosted with lightly scented blue flowers.

Another good perennial type is M. scorpioides, known as true or water forget-me-not. This is an ideal choice for wet areas in the garden, such as around a pond, where waterlogged soil would drown most other plants. It blooms later than its relatives, in midsummer, but has the same small blue and pink flowers. The aptly name 'Mermaid' variety has bright blue blossoms and shiny leaves.

Growing Forget-Me-Nots

Forget-me-nots like moist, well-drained, fertile soil that never totally dries out. You can start seeds indoors in summer and set them out in early fall, or sow seeds where you want the plants to grow from spring through summer. Sow seeds over moist soil and cover the seeds with a I /8 in (0.5 mm) layer of soil.

Forget-me-nots perform as biennials in most climates, blooming very little if at all their first year and covering themselves with flowers the following spring. If you allow time for seeds to ripen completely, forget-me-nots often reseed and appear year after year. Overcrowding doesn't bother forget-me-nots at all, but if too many seedlings appear where they're not wanted, simply pull them up in early summer. You should still see a number of volunteer seedlings emerge in early fall.

Forget-me-nots are usually pest free but tiny, sap-sucking aphids can sometimes attack new growth. lust knock them off with a forceful spray of water from the hose or apply insecticidal soap, as directed, on an overcast day or after the sun sets so that the young leaves don't get sunburned.