Forget-Me-Not Flowers – A Sad Folklore about an Endearing Love Affair

Scientific Classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	(unplaced)
Family:	Boraginaceae
Genus:	Myosotis L.
Type species:	Myosotis scorpioides

Myosotis, meaning “mouse’s ear”,  in Greek,  is a variety of flowering plants under the family ‘Boraginaceae’ (or Cynoglossum). We generally call these Forget-Me-Not flowers. The name forget-me-not is a derivation from the word “nem’oubliez pas.” in French. Around 1532 BC, the English initially used it. Folklore tells the sad story of teenage lovers walking by the River Danube, when the boy, overcome with cramps trying to get some flowers that grew on an Islet in the River, succumbed to the whirling rapids.   As he threw the bouquet to his lover, he cried to her “forget-me-not”.  The girl wore the flowers until her death.  This flower is also a symbol of the society of  Alzheimer’s.  Description

In this group, there are about, 200 species with a lot of differences. Many of the flowers are small (one cm diameter and even less in size),  flat and 5-lobed with the colors pink, blue or white. The center is yellow and they grow on scorpion like shoots. The leaves of the forget-me-not are alternatively set, they blossom during the spring. Forget-me-not flowers  are common in most gardens which support a  moist atmosphere. In other places they move towards the banks of rivers and grow in wetlands. They easily adjust to shade and tolerate to sunshine.

How to cultivate domestically

Preparation for Planting

Prior to setting up a bed in your garden, use a soil testing kit to check the alkalinity and acidity of the soil you propose to use.. Select a low area in your garden that you can esily keep wet. Also select an area with moderate to filtered shade preferably with gravely soil to facilitate easy draining.

Planting

Photo by: Frank Vincentz

Clear the bed of trash and weeds; discard the weeds the moment they appear. Place the forget-me-not seeds at a distance of 4 to 5 inches apart, and 1/8 inch deep and cover with the loose moist top soil. Alternatively plant the seeds in containers in the same manner. Water the forget-me-not flowers as soon as you plant them,  spray water evenly on top of the soil where you planted the seeds. Be careful not to dislodge the seeds while watering.

Plant the forget-me-not that you raised in containers or beds during the spring season. Space the plants 12 inches apart.When you  remove the plants from its container, water it first, then invert it, support  the plant at its bottom with your hand you take it out of the container. Make a hole in the bed a bit larger than the area in the container that housed the forget-me-not, and place the plant in the hole. Top the hole with soil and ram it round the plant’s stem.

Placement and Watering

In case you locate  your plant in a place where there is total sunshine, water the plants frequently because they need wet soil for healthy growth. Since these plants grow well in humid atmosphere, the right  place to plant them is along the sides of streams or on in spongy ground.

Flowering Period

Photo by: Frank Vincentz
The flowers bloom in late spring and early summer. Their eyes are tiny and yellow in color. Forget-me-not flowers are best grown where you have  partial shade and cool climate. These pretty little flowers grow abundantly under the shelter of deciduous trees and bushes.

After-Bloom Care

The height of the flower is shown by its stem. After flowering, they are pruned and the plants form a low cluster. When the flowering is complete, the plants get more opened and pruning makes it tidy, at that time you lose the lovely seed pods. In case you take a fancy for the pods, then don’t deadhead them.

As Cut Flowers

Photo by: C T Johansson

Forget-me-not make a good show as cut flowers when kept in float bowls or arranged in a flower vase. The forget-me-not flowers add beauty when included in a bouquet or in flower decorations. Cut your forget-me-not back to the ground in early winter or late fall. At times, this plant acts as a perennial and bloom new ones during the following spring from the root system. You can easily order flowers online and most florists will give you day delivery.