Woodland forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica) is an easy-to-grow perennial. Famously known for its pretty blue flowers, this short-lived perennial is a great addition to flower beds, borders, and rock gardens.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Myosotis sylvatica, the wood forget-me-not or woodland forget-me-not, is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae, native to Europe.
It is a short-lived herbaceous perennial plant, growing to 12–30 cm (5–12 in) tall by 15 cm (6 in) wide, with hairy leaves and a profusion of flowers with petals longer than their tube, pink in bud then opening disc-shaped, intensely sky-blue with yellow centres in spring.
Stace (2011) describes this plant as having the following characteristics:
- Upright, to 50 cm; softly hairy, with hairs at more-or-less right-angles to the main stem.
- Flowers sky-blue, to 6–10 mm across, flat in profile; sepal tube with hooked hairs; April–July.
- Mature fruit dark brown, shiny.
- Mature calyx on spreading stalks longer than sepal tube; calyx teeth spreading to expose the ripe fruit.
- Basal leaves stalked, in a rosette; upper leaves not stalked.
- Generally found in woods, scree and rock ledges; common throughout the British Isles.
Widely cultivated throughout the temperate world, it is particularly associated with spring bedding schemes involving other spring-flowering subjects, notably daffodils, tulips, wallflowers, and primulas. Typically seeds are sown one year to flower the next. Though short-lived, plants readily self-seed in favourable situations. Plants maintain leaf growth throughout winter.
M. sylvatica is also a parent of numerous cultivars in shades of pink, blue and white. The cultivars ‘Bluesylva’ and the compact ‘Blue Ball’ have gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
In the North, you can grow it in full sun or partial shade. At the southern end of its range, give forget-me-not afternoon shade. The more sunlight it receives, the more water it will need.
Temperature and Humidity
With a range that covers six USDA zones, forget-me-not withstands both heat and cold well, However, due to its susceptibility to powdery mildew disease, it isn’t recommended for areas with intensely hot, humid summers.
Watering
Woodland forget-me-not prefers wet soil and is tolerant even of saturated soil. It is important the soil surrounding the plant be moist constantly, so it needs to be watered frequently, always before the soil dries out after the last watering.
Soil
You can grow forget-me-nots almost anywhere since they’re not too picky about the type of soil they put their roots in. Regardless of the soil you have, you should add organic matter like decaying leaves or compost to give the plants extra nutrients. If your soil is poor quality, this will be a crucial step to making the plants look their best.
Above all else, make sure the soil is well-draining so the plants won’t be sitting in a puddle of water. Most varieties can tolerate wet or soggy soil, and creeping forget-me-nots are a ground cover native to wetlands, but wet soil isn’t something you should have in your garden if you can help it.
Fertilizing
If you plant forget-me-nots in nutrient-rich soil, fertilizers will be next to unnecessary. You can refresh the soil with compost once or twice a year to give your plants an extra boost, but that’s about all you’ll need for these easy-to-please plants.
If the soil isn’t the best, fertilizing will be necessary. Especially with potted plants, a layer of high-quality compost periodically throughout the growing season should suffice, but you can also use water-soluble or granule fertilizers. An NPK of 5-10-10 or 10-10-10 will work well in early summer and late summer. Nitrogen is responsible for encouraging foliage growth, so if you’re adding fertilizer later in the growing season, a low nitrogen option will be best so your plants can focus on making flowers.
Pruning
The key to its display value is massing several plants together and letting them get as big as possible because the flowers, although pretty and numerous, are small. For this reason, there’s a disincentive to cutting back forget-me-not stems. However, if you wish to curtail reseeding, deadhead the flowers.
Propagation
Forget-me-not reseeds all on its own. It will multiply over time. Once you introduce it to your garden, you’ll have it for many years (unless you actively suppress it). If you want to propagate it, take advantage of this fact by digging up some of the plants that have spread from the original and transplanting them to other areas in spring. Space them 10 inches apart.
How to Grow from Seed
Forget-me-not is easy to grow from seed, either collected from already established plants or a purchased packet of seeds. You can either start seed indoors about eight to 10 weeks before the last spring frost date, under lights; or outside in the garden one to two weeks before the last spring frost or late summer/early fall for bloom the following year.
To start seed indoors under lights
- In clean seed starting trays (with drainage holes), add moistened seed starting mix. Sprinkle the seeds on top and press to make contact with the moist mix.
- Place under grow lights or fluorescent tubes, leaving lights on for 14 to 16 hours per day. The lights have to be adjustable. They should be only a few inches away from the plant.
- Mist with water frequently so seeds do not dry out. They mustn’t dry out when they begin the germination process because germination will stop if allowed to dry and the seeds cannot be “revived.”
- As the seed germinates and grows, you may have to adjust lights to continue to be only a few inches away from the plant.
- As the seedling grows, you can water or mist less often because the roots have formed and can obtain water from a lower depth in the mix.
- Thin the seedlings, which is to reduce the number to create space for the rest. Cut the weakest seedlings with nail or manicure scissors at the base. This will make room for the strongest. Best to cut, do not pull seedlings out as this will disrupt the rest of the seedlings.
- When the last spring frost has passed, you can move outside to harden off. Harden off by putting in the shade first, protected from heavy rains and winds. Gradually move to the garden bed or container.
- Water to establish the plants.
- To start seeds outdoors, prepare the soil first, making sure it is high in organic matter, loose, weed-free, and moist (water first). Sprinkle seed on top and press to make contact with the moist soil. Water again and water until established.
Overwintering
Forget-me-nots are very hardy plants that become dormant in the winter, so nothing needs to be done to overwinter the plants.
Pests and Diseases
- Common Pests
Pest issues aren’t typically a problem, but if you do end up with critters, it’ll probably one of these three.
Aphids can be yellow, black, brown, or green. They’re small and suck out the sap of leaves and stems, causing them to look wilted. The simplest solution is to spray them off with water, as they don’t usually keep a tight grip. Consistently spray them off for a week or so and you’ll notice the population dwindle. Neem oil will kill off their eggs. Ladybugs love to snack on aphids, so it’s a good idea to avoid using products that will hurt ladybugs so you can allow nature to do its thing.
Flea beetles aren’t a common problem, but they can be annoying when they show up! They’re black and so small that they look like seeds, and they, like aphids, suck sap out of foliage. The easiest way to prevent them is to cover newly planted flowers in early spring just after the last frost, since this is when the Beatles are most active. You can use an insecticide such as spinosad or pyrethrin to get rid of infestations if you weren’t able to prevent them.
Aside from aphids, slugs and snails may be the biggest pest issue you’ll have. The easiest way to get rid of them is to pick them off at night. It may not be your favorite chore, but it sure is effective! An organic slug and snail bait can lure them away from your plants as well.
- Common Diseases
Forget-me-nots aren’t prone to many diseases, but if they do contract something, it’ll likely be fungal. Crown rot is more likely to show up and will have a web-like appearance. Other fungal diseases may include downy mildew, leaf spot, powdery mildew, and rust, all of which will cause discoloration on the leaves.
Most fungal diseases can’t be fully cured, so prevention is the best option. Avoid getting the leaves wet when you water, and make sure your perennial varieties and annual varieties have plenty of airflow between them. You can use horticultural oils such as neem oil and spray them on the foliage weekly to prevent spores from developing. You can also use sulfur or copper fungicides to eliminate fungal pathogens on leaf surfaces.
When you see a disease spreading, remove the damaged leaf tissue and spray the remainder of the plant with a fungicide. If the issue persists, remove the entire infected plant as well as any neighboring plants it may have touched. Spraying horticultural oils or fungicides on plants after you remove infected plants will be the best way to prevent it from spreading further.
III. Uses and Benefits
Woodland forget-me-not produce reams of pretty, delicate blue flowers with white or yellow eyes, making it a welcome sight during the late spring for cottage or country gardens. This short-lived perennial adds texture to borders and beds, whilst also proving a wonderful cover for the base of hedges or underplanting for shrubs.
