Myosotis alpestris

Myosotis alpestris — forget-me-not

Myosotis alpestris is the botanical name for the alpine forget-me-not, the dainty plant whose haze of clear sky-blue flowers carpets the spring garden and weaves so beautifully between tulips and wallflowers. It is the species behind our forget-me-not range within the flower seed collection.

History & origin

As its name suggests, this forget-me-not hails from the mountains of Europe, growing in alpine meadows and rocky places. Its hardiness and early flowering made it a treasured cottage-garden and spring-bedding plant across the continent.

The genus name Myosotis comes from the Greek for “mouse's ear,” describing the soft, small leaves; alpestris simply means “of the mountains,” for its alpine home.

Botanical characteristics

A compact short-lived perennial almost always grown as a biennial, it forms low mounds of soft foliage topped with sprays of tiny, five-petalled blue flowers, each with a small yellow eye. Flowering early when little else is out, it is a valuable nectar source for emerging bees — a charming pick from our bee-friendly flowers.

Growing Myosotis alpestris from seed

Sow in late spring or summer for flowers the following spring, in sun or part shade and most soils. It self-seeds freely once established, returning year after year. Our flower growing guide and flower sowing calendar cover the timing.

Ready to grow forget-me-nots? Browse the varieties or learn the basics first.

Related categories: Forget-Me-Nots · Biennial Flowers · Bee-Friendly Flowers · Blue Flowers · All Flower Seeds

At SeedsChoice, every order ships from Meppel, NL with fast, tracked EU delivery.