Common Name: navelwort
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Boraginaceae
Zone: 6 to 9
Height: 0.50 to 0.75 feet
Spread: 0.75 to 1.00 feet
Bloom Time: May to June
Bloom Description: Deep blue with white edges
Sun: Part shade to full shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Ground Cover, Naturalize
Flower: Showy, Good Cut
Tolerate: Drought, Heavy Shade
Culture
Winter hardy to USDA Zone 6 where it is easily grown in fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soils in part shade to full shade. Tolerates dry shade and drought. Site in protected areas and apply a winter mulch in the northern part of the growing range for this plant.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Omphalodes cappadocica, commonly known as Cappadocian navelwort, Cappadocian navelseed, or creeping-forget-me-not, is a bushy, evergreen, tufted perennial of the borage family that typically grows to 6-10” tall spreading by creeping rhizomes to 16” wide. It is native to Turkey. Slightly hairy, long-petioled, heart-shaped, ovate to lanceolate leaves (3-4” long) form a basal foliage clump from which rise flowering stalks in spring to 10” tall topped by loose terminal racemes of forget-me-not-like, 5-petaled, 1/3” diameter flowers which are blue to purple-blue with white eyes. Flowers have veining that radiates outward from the center giving the corolla a star-like appearance. Smaller stem leaves are alternate and nearly sessile.
Genus name comes from the Greek words omphalos meaning navel and oides meaning resembling in reference to the purported resemblance of the nutlet (hollowed on one side) to a human navel.
Specific epithet means from the area of central Turkey known as Cappadocia in reference to the native habitat of this plant.
‘Starry Eyes’ features flowers with purple-blue petals edged with pinkish-white margins which give the flower a starry effect.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Slugs are an occasional problem.
Uses
Mass in shaded border areas. Ground cover for moist shady locations. Rock gardens. Edging. Woodland gardens. Containers.