Forget-me-not
Plants

Facts about forget-me-not

We found 18 facts about forget-me-not

Scorpion grass

The forget-me-not also referred to as the scorpion grass, is an invasive herb, commonly found in various regions of the world. There are over 500 species of this plant, the majority of which have the characteristic blue petals. Its unique name gave birth to many legends and gave the flower symbolic importance.

Forget-me-not
1
It belongs to the genus Myosotis of the family Boraginaceae.
It includes various blue-flowered plants, such as Siberian Bugloss, or the annual borage.
2
The genus name–Myosotis–derives from the Ancient Greek and means mouse ears.
3
The forget-me-nots can be confused with giant forget-me-nots.
The latter belongs to the genus Myosotidium and is represented by one species, Myosotidium hortensia, which resembles the forget-me-not. It is an endemic species of New Zealand.
4
Depending on the species, it can be an annual, perennial, or biennial plant.
5
It is a widespread plant, common in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia.
6
The stems of forget-me-not can reach up to 0,5 meters, and their leaves grow up to five centimeters.
7
There are over 500 species of scorpion grasses.
Most of them have five blue petals, but white or pink also can be encountered.
8
The common English name, forget-me-not, appeared for the first time in the 1500s.
The French equivalent–souvenez-vous de moi–was used by King Henry IV during his banishment in 1398.
9
It is the official flower of Alaska and Dalsland in Sweden.
The alpine forget-me-not has become an official Alaskan state flower in 1949.
10
There are several legends surrounding the name of the plant.
One of the most popular ones tells a story about a German couple. During their romantic stroll on a sunny day, a girl noticed blue flowers and asked her companion to pick them up for her. The flower grew on a steep edge of a nearby river, and unfortunately, the boy fell into the river while trying to pick it up, and drowned. Before submerging, he asked the girl not to forget him, and thus the name of the plant came from.

Another German tale states that when God was naming all living creatures, he forgot about one small, blue-flowered plant, that called to him “Forget-me-not, o Lord!”, to which God replied it shall be the plant’s name.
11
It is considered an invasive plant.
Its creeping roots can cover a wide area with little time.
12
Depending on the species, the forget-me-nots can be toxic to animals and humans.
It is due to a chemical called pyrrolizidine alkaloid, which causes liver damage.
13
Forget-me-nots can be successfully grown indoors.
It is, however, crucial to remember their creeping root system, which requires large containers.
14
The essential oils from forget-me-nots prove to be health beneficial.
It can ease inflammation and irritation and is valued for skincare.
15
As a symbol of remembrance, true love, and faithfulness, forget-me-nots are commonly used in events associated with such symbols.
16
Forget-me-nots are worn on Remembrance Day (November 11th) in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, in remembrance of the victims of World War I.
17
It is also a symbol of International Missing Children’s Day.
18
The Alzheimer Society uses the forget-me-not to rise awareness of the disease.
Hungry for more facts?
Subscribe to Google News Random topic
15 facts about sunflower
15 facts about sunflower
Sun-like beauty
They came to Europe quite late because they came from the American continent. Cultivated for seeds, oil, or ornamental value, they quickly conquered t ...
13 facts about mayflower
13 facts about mayflower
Epigaea repens
Mayflower is an evergreen shrub, spread throughout the eastern U.S. shore. A state flower of Massachusetts, it is vulnerable, but on the other hand, t ...
16 facts about Poinsettia
16 facts about Poinsettia
One of the most popular Christmas decorations
It is a plant native to Mexico, where it is known as Flor de Nochebuena - the Christmas Flower. The Aztecs called it Cuetlaxochitl, which meant "star ...
17 facts about California poppy
17 facts about California poppy
Eschscholzia californica
Golden poppy is a yellow-flowered poppy plant native to the southwest of North America. It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant worldwide. In add ...
17 facts about Cornflower
17 facts about Cornflower
Centaurea cyanus
Once widespread in meadows and fields, it is now slowly disappearing from the landscape due to the industrialization of agriculture and the use of her ...

Latest topics

42 facts about Kyshtym disaster
42 facts about Kyshtym disaster
The first nuclear accident in Earth's history
Before information about it saw the light of day, the Soviets hid it for over 30 years. The explosion at the Mayak combine was the first nuclear accid ...
37 facts about Saint Petersburg
37 facts about Saint Petersburg
A city of many names
It was a dream and a matter of prestige for the Romanov dynasty to gain access to the Baltic Sea and build a metropolis to testify to Russia's emergin ...
32 facts about Peter the Great
32 facts about Peter the Great
The first Emperor of all Russia
Peter the Great is considered one of Russia's greatest rulers. He was a great reformer, strategist, and builder who was the first of the tsars to trav ...
39 facts about Dyatlov Pass incident
39 facts about Dyatlov Pass incident
Mysterious tragedy in the Ural mountains
The case of a group of students at the Ural Polytechnical Institute in Sverdlovsk continues to arouse great interest and raise many questions. A group ...
11 facts about Brooklyn Bridge
11 facts about Brooklyn Bridge
The first steel suspension bridge in the world
It is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the world. It connects Brooklyn with Manhattan, runs over the East River, and was completed in 1883. ...
31 facts about Brazil
31 facts about Brazil
South America's largest country
Brazil is the largest and most populous country in South America and one of the largest and most populous countries in the world. A former Portuguese ...
44 facts about Ghent
44 facts about Ghent
City of three towers
Ghent is one of Belgium's most visited cities by tourists. This beautiful old Flanders city combines dignity, beauty, culture, and creativity. It is a ...
31 facts about Thailand
31 facts about Thailand
A country on the Indochinese Peninsula
Thailand is an Asian country located in its south-eastern part, famous for its interesting culture and religious architecture. This exotic country, wh ...

Similar topics

Sunflower
15 facts about sunflower
They came to Europe quite late because they came from the American continent. Cultivated for seeds, oil, or ornamental value, they quickly conquered t ...
Mayflower
13 facts about mayflower
Mayflower is an evergreen shrub, spread throughout the eastern U.S. shore. A state flower of Massachusetts, it is vulnerable, but on the other hand, t ...
Poinsettia
16 facts about Poinsettia
It is a plant native to Mexico, where it is known as Flor de Nochebuena - the Christmas Flower. The Aztecs called it Cuetlaxochitl, which meant "star ...
California poppy
17 facts about California poppy
Golden poppy is a yellow-flowered poppy plant native to the southwest of North America. It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant worldwide. In add ...
Cornflower
17 facts about Cornflower
Once widespread in meadows and fields, it is now slowly disappearing from the landscape due to the industrialization of agriculture and the use of her ...