Forget-Me-Not Plant

According to a legend 'Forget-me-not' were the last words of a knight to his lady-love after he fell and sunk to the bottom of a river because of the weight of the armor he wore. Most of the Forget-me-not plants are characterized by their flowers, with 5 blue and flat petals. The Myosotis alba has white flowers and Myosotis aurea has yellow flowers. The Forget-me-not plants are found in the mountains, woods and in the humid fields at an altitude of 700 to 2800 meters. The Forget-me-not flowers which are fragrant in the evenings and the nights are also called Asian Forget-me-not, Wood Forget-me-not and Alpine Forget-me-not.

These plants are grouped under the genus Myosotis, which belongs to the family Boraginaceae. Many of the Forget-me-not plants are natives of New Zealand and are also found in Asia, Australia, the North America and Africa. Because the Forget-me-not flowers remind people of love and tragic ends, women often wear it. People also wear it at weddings. The Forget-me-not is the official flower on the National Grandparents day.

Alaska State Flower

In 1949 the State of Alaska declared the Mayosotis Alpestris a Forget-me-not flower found in the Alpine areas of the United States, as the official state flower of the State of Alaska. It was a Forget-me-not flower, with blue petals and yellowish or pink center. The following is a list of few Forget-me-not flowers:

• M.alpestris alpestris(Alpine Forget-me-not)
• M. alpestris asiatica
• M. alpestis Osmypo
• M. alpestris (Gold and sapphires)
• M. alpestris (Nana)
• M. alpestris (Ruth Fischer)
• M. appestris (Subspecies Suaveolens)
• M. arvensis (Common Forget-me-not)
• M. arvensis arvensis (Field Forget-me-not) M. asiatica (Alpine Forget-me-not)
• M. aspera
• M. atlantica
• M. australis (Austral Forget-me-not)
• M. azorica (Azores Forget-me-not)
• M. bill baker
• M. blue ball
• M. sylvatica (Blue Bird Forget-me-not)
• M. bouquet
• M. cametoonensis
• M. anescens (Hairy Forget-me-not)
• M.capitata (Sub-Antartic Forget-me-not)
• M. colensoi colensos Forget-me-not
• M. alba Forget-me-not

Forget-me-not Planting Instructions

If you are thinking of planting Forget-me-not plant in your garden, then you should go through the following information. Before you buy the Forget-me-not seeds or seedlings, confirm whether they are for annual or perennial. The difference between these two is significant. The annual Forget-me-not plants last for one year and the perennial Forget-me-not plants lasts for three or more years.

• Inquire at the local nurseries about the seedlings of the Forget-me-not plant your are interested in.
• You can select your favorite from a group of 50 Forget-me-not plants.
• Planting seedlings of the Forget-me-not is the easiest way to raise them.
• If you cannot find the seedlings you are looking for, then you have no option, but to start with the Forget-me-not seeds, which you can buy at the local nurseries.
• Plant the seeds in the polythene bags containing soil mixed with compost.
• For early blooms, place the bags inside the house or a garden shed for 8 to 10 weeks and water the seeds regularly, to keep the soil in the polythene bags moist.
• At the beginning of spring, plant the Forget-me-not seedlings in your garden, where they will be shielded from the direct sunlight.
• The alternative is to prepare the ground in the early spring and plant the seeds in the bare ground, when there are still chances of having the light frost.
• You can add the compost to the soil at the time of preparing the ground for the seeds.
• Though the Forget-me-not plants can survive, even when they grow in a crowded bunch, it is a good idea to plant them 3 to 4 inches apart.
• Water the seeds regularly and maintain the ground moist and whenever needed, supplement them with compost, which may enhance their growth.
• The dry soil can have adverse affect on the growth of the seeds and seedlings of the Forget-me-not.
• Your Forget-me-not may blossom in the early, the middle or in the late spring. Whenever it happens you can try to lengthen the bloom time by regularly trimming the spent blooms. If you are really interested in the gardening, flower gardens and in the rock gardens, the Forget-me-not planting at your favorite spot, will be a treat to the eyes. The Forget-me-not plants don't attract diseases or insects, but if it does, then you can use pesticides and/or fungicides to deal with the problem.

The National Forget-me-not day is celebrated on the 10^th of November. One way of celebrating this day is to send the Forget-me-not flowers to friends and family members, who haven't been in your contact for a long time. The legend associated with the Forget-me-not plants and the flowers really makes it an unforgettable one. Roses speak about love, but a Forget-me-not flower is enough to say more than that.