Myosotis scorpioides
Swamp Forget-Me-Not
Common names: Water Forget-Me-Not
At a glance
- Light
- Partial shade
- Pot size
- from 30 l
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Flowering
- May–Aug
- Hardiness
- Hardy
- Origin
- Native to Germany
Photo: Ivar Leidus · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
The Swamp Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis scorpioides) is a native riparian herb suited to shallow water and the constantly wet edges of ponds or streams. From May to August it produces delicate sky‑blue flowers with a yellow eye on slender, slightly drooping stems. The plant forms loose clumps that readily self‑propagate, creating a natural, long‑lasting border along the water. It remains low‑lying and blends unobtrusively among sword lilies, swamp buttercup, and other wetland perennials. All parts of the plant are toxic and should not be consumed; keep children and livestock away.
Care instructions
Swamp Forget-Me-Not requires permanently wet to saturated soil; in a container at the pond edge or directly in shallow water up to 5 to 10 cm depth it feels most comfortable. A location in full sun to partial shade is best; at full sun the root zone dries out too quickly. Allow spent flowers to remain; the plant will self‑propagate and form new clumps the following year. If powdery mildew appears during hot, dry summers, simply increase watering and thin dense stands to improve air circulation to the leaves. The plant is winter hardy in our region and needs no special protection.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
FloweringMay–Aug
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
moist, humus-rich, nutrient-rich, loamy
The water forget-me-not wants it permanently moist to wet, ideally right at the pond edge or in shallow water up to 10 cm deep. A nutrient-rich, humus-rich soil with some loam holds moisture well. Waterlogging is no problem here, but the normal state. On dry or sandy soil, the plant quickly dwindles.
Feeding
Medium feeder
Months
Apr–May
At the pond edge, a thin layer of mature compost soil in spring is usually enough; planting baskets for the pond take special substrate soil without added fertiliser. You should do without additional feeding near water, so the water does not become over-fertilised and full of algae. Organic material from the surroundings, such as rotting leaves, usually supplies the plant sufficiently.
Overwintering
The water forget-me-not is hardy and comes through frost without trouble as long as the root zone does not freeze through completely. At the pond, it is enough to lower the planting baskets into deeper water that does not freeze to the bottom. You can cut back wilted shoots in autumn and leave the rest standing until spring.
Propagation
Methods
- From seed
- Division
The easiest way is to divide larger clumps in spring and set the pieces directly at new bank spots. Sowing also works well; the fine seeds germinate reliably on moist, open soil and need light to germinate. The plant also readily spreads by itself at the pond edge by self-seeding, so new clumps often form entirely without your help. For deliberate propagation, cut off the ripe seed heads in summer and scatter them in the desired place.
Companion planting
Good neighbors
nightshade family (Solanaceae)
Borage attracts pollinators and is supposed to keep tomato pests away from the nightshade family.
For example PotatoTomatoSweet pepperCocktail tomatoEggplantCape gooseberry and 14 more species in the catalogue
Source: organic greenhouse companion planting practice
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
Some of these explanations were machine-translated.
For your garden
Grow Swamp Forget-Me-Not yourself
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