Forget-Me-Not, 3 March 2023 - Banks of River Foyle

Forget-Me-Not - Myosotis scorpioides

You'll commonly find this member of the Forget-me-not family, the Water or True forget-me-not on very wet, soggy ground throughout the country. Although the Water forget-me-not may have been the source of many early garden varieties of this popular plant, most are now forms of Wood forget-me-not's.

 

Scientific names: Myosotis scorpioides (Water ot True forget-me-not)

Myosotis sylvatica (Wood forget-me-not)

Myosotis arvensis (Field forget-me-not)

Myosotis scunda (Creeaping forget-me-not)

Myosotis discolor (Changing forget-me-not)

Myosotis laxa (Tufted forget-me-not)

Myosotis ramosissima (Early forget-me-not)

 

Family Group: Borage (Boraginaceae)

Height: 15cm to 25cm (6 - 9 in)

Conservation status: Common

Flowering time: between May to Octber

Habitats: on very wet, soggy ground such as pond margins, riverbanks, bog gardens and marshes, either submerged in shallow water, or on surrounding ground.

Irish Name: Ceotharnach uisce

 

How to identify

It has small sky-blue, occasionally pink or white, 5-petalled flowers (4-10mm across) which are borne in loose cymes which slowly uncoil as the flowers open up from May to October. The corolla is somewhat flat as the 5 lobes spread out from the tube at the white and yellow centre. The leaves are alternate and untoothed with pointed tips and the stems are covered in closely-pressed hairs. It is a perennial plant which spreads by means of creeping rhizomes. This is a native plant which belongs to the family Boraginaceae.

 

This plant is also known as True Forget-me-not and also Scorpion Grass due to the way its cymes unfurl in a way thought to be somewhat similar to a scorpion's tail

and hence the species name 'Scorpioides'

 

Distribution

It is native to Europe and Asia, but is widely distributed elsewhere, including much of North America, as an introduced species and sometimes a noxious weed.

The plant is common and widespread in Britain, however is very rare in Jersey.

 

Did you know?

It's good for wildlife providing cover and shelter and a favourite for newts to lay their eggs. The Wood forget-me-not is an ideal plant for shady areas in the garden, near trees and hedges, providing good ground cover and early spring flowers.

 

Mythology and symbolism

There are many legends regarding the name 'Forget-me-not'. One is that during medieval times, a knight and his lady were walking beside a river. He picked a posy of flowers for her but as he leant over to collect more, his heavy armour caused him to unbalance and he fell into the river where he started to drown. As she looked on in horror, he threw her the posy of flowers and shouted out 'Forget-me-not'.

 

The name first appeared in French where it translated as 'Ne m'oubliez pas'.

 

This flower has now been adopted by several associations including Newfoundlanders wishing to commemorate their fallen family members from the First World War, particularly those who fought at the Battle of the Somme (1st Jul 1916 to 18th Nov 1916) where so many lives were lost. There are also several societies formed to help sufferers of Alzheimers Disease and their families and they have also used the Forget-me-not as their emblem.

 

You can help

Our gardens are a vital resource for wildlife, providing corridors of green space between open countryside, allowing species to move about. In fact, the UK's gardens provide more space for nature than all the National Nature Reserves put together. So why not try planting native plants and trees to entice birds, mammals and invertebrates into your backyard? Find out more by visiting the Wildlife Trust. www.wildlifetrusts.org/about-us

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