Forget-Me-Not: Growing, Types and Meaning

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The forget-me-not is a tiny sky-blue flower with a yellow eye that blankets beds and woodland edges in spring. Its name tells a story in itself: in almost every language it means “do not forget me”, and it has long been given as a token of remembrance and loyalty. Here is how to grow forget-me-nots, the main types and what they symbolise.

Types of forget-me-not

Myosotis is a genus of the borage family. Gardens mostly grow:

• Woodland and alpine forget-me-nots (M. sylvatica, M. alpestris) — the common garden forms, 15–30 cm tall, in sky blue, deep blue, pink and white; they usually behave as biennials.
• Water forget-me-not (M. scorpioides) — a perennial for pond edges and damp spots, flowering most of the summer.

Growing forget-me-nots from seed

1. Sow in summer (June–July) in a nursery bed or where they are to flower, barely covering the seed.
2. Thin the seedlings and transplant them 15–20 cm apart in late summer or early autumn.
3. Plants overwinter as leafy rosettes and flower the following April–May.

You can also plant flowering plugs in spring. After flowering they self-seed generously, so new plants appear every year.

View full-size photoForget-me-nots of different types and colors form a dense blooming carpet in spring

Care

• Position: light shade, or sun on moist soil.
• Watering: regular — they dislike drying out.
• Soil: moist and moderately fertile; too much feeding gives leaves rather than flowers.
• After flowering: leave a few plants to seed and pull the rest to avoid powdery mildew.

Meaning and companions

The forget-me-not symbolises remembrance, loyalty and tender affection. Legend tells of a lover who fell into a river while picking the flower for his beloved and cried “forget me not”. It is given at partings and in memory of special people and events.

In the garden, forget-me-nots make the perfect carpet under tulips and daffodils and good companions for hostas in shade. More in first spring flowers and plant symbols of Ukraine; the full A–Z is in types of flowers. Forget-me-nots are considered non-toxic to people and pets.

FAQ

When should I sow forget-me-nots?

In June–July, so plants overwinter and flower the next spring.

Are forget-me-nots annual or perennial?

Garden forget-me-nots behave as biennials but self-seed freely; the water forget-me-not is perennial.

What does giving forget-me-nots mean?

It is a token of remembrance and loyalty — a request not to forget the giver.

Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

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