Easily grown in organically rich, consistently moist to wet soils in full sun to part shade. Grows in up to 3” of standing water. Use containers for water garden plantings in order to control spread. For streams and ponds, place new plants directly in the soils of muddy banks at the water line. Plants will spread by creeping rhizomes but are not overly aggressive. Pinch young plants to promote bushiness. Plants will self seed. If additional plantings are desired, divide plant rhizomes in early spring. Stem cuttings may be taken in summer.
Myosotis scorpioides, commonly called forget-me-not or water forget-me-not, is a rhizomatous marginal aquatic perennial that typically grows to 10-12” (less frequently to 18”) tall on decumbent to upright angular stems. It is native to moist meadows and stream banks from Europe to Siberia, but has escaped cultivation and naturalized in wet places throughout many parts of North America. Light sky blue 5-lobed flowers (1/4” diameter) with yellow centers bloom in branched scorpioid cymes that uncoil as the flowers open. Heavy bloom occurs from May to June with sporadic additional bloom to early fall. Shiny, oblong to lance-shaped leaves (to 4” long) are bright green. Myosotis scorpioides var. semperflorens is a dwarf form that grows to 6-8” tall. It is noted for having a more floriferous and longer bloom (semperflorens from Latin meaning always flowering) that typically extends from May to August and sporadically thereafter to frost. Genus name means mouse ear in probable reference to the size and shape of the petal. The cymes, particularly when in bud and early bloom, resemble a coiled scorpion’s tail, hence the specific epithet. The common forget-me-not of borders and woodland gardens is Myosotis sylvatica.
No serious insect or disease problems. Susceptible to mildew and rust.
Wet areas including stream banks, water gardens, bogs or pond edges. Woodland gardens near water. Will naturalize to form an attractive flowering ground cover.
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