Forget-me-not is a flowering, marginally aquatic, herbaceous perennial in the Boraginaceae (Borage) family native to moist meadows and stream banks of Europe and Asia. At maturity, it is typically 10 inches high, although it can sometimes reach 18 inches, with sky blue flowers on upright stems. The leaves are evegreen. The genus name comes from the classical Greek myosotis meaning mouse ear and applied to plants with short pointed leaves. The species name means scorpion for the flower cymes that, when in bud and early bloom, resemble a coiled scorpion’s tail. Forget-me-not are easy to grow in organic, consistently moist to wet soils in full sun to part shade. It will tolerate poor soil, including heavy clay. The plant loves water and will grow in up to 3 inches of standing water. It will spread by creeping rhizomes, but is not overly aggressive. Pinch young plants to promote growth. Plants will self seed. This plant is a wildflower that escaped cultivation and has naturalized in wet places throughout many parts of North America. If additional plantings are desired, divide plant rhizomes in early spring. Stem cuttings may be taken in summer. For water garden planting, you can use 1 gallon containers with up to 3 inches of water over the crown to control spread. For planting by streams and ponds, place new plants directly in the soils of muddy banks at the water line. The plant naturalizes on banks of still and slow-moving water. Forget-me-not spreads by means of creeping underground rhizomes to form dense colonies and it can become a flowering ground cover. On the other hand, it is listed as a noxious weed in one or more Midwestern states. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No serious diseases or insect pests. Susceptible to mildew and rust.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Frequent Standing Water | Moist | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in. | Width: 0 ft. 9 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Creeping; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Oblong
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Rough
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Shiny, hairy, oblong to lance-shaped, bright green leaves (to 4 inches long and 1/4 to 3/4 inches across). Each leaf has a prominent central vein.
Flower color
Blue; White
Flower value
Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower form
Cyme; Raceme
Flower shape
Radial
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Blossoms appear in mid-summer and last to early fall. Light sky blue 5-lobed flowers (1/4 inch diameter) with yellow centers bloom in branched scorpioid cymes that uncoil as the flowers open. The cymes, particularly when in bud and early bloom, resemble a coiled scorpion’s tail.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit detail
Each flower is replaced by 4 small nutlets that are shorter than the persistent style.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
The central stem is medium green, terete, and hairy. Flowers appear on these decumbent to upright, angular stems.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe, Asia-Tropical and Asia-Temperate
Distribution
Throughout the United States, from Alaska to Georgia.
Wildlife value
True Forget-Me-Not attract small butterflies and dance flies attracted by the nectar.