water forget-me-not
Myosotis scorpioides
RHS Plants for Pollinators
USDA zones5 to 9
SunHandles full sun to partial sun
WaterHandles moist to wet soil
Size6 to 12 inches tall9 to 12 inches wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Habit
- Creeping
- Bloom season
- Summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- Sky blue with yellow center
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Water forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides) is a perennial for pollinator gardens, containers, and rain gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 5, or down to -20°F (-29°C). This plant likes full or part sun and moist to wet, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. Its sky blue flowers have yellow centers and attract butterflies and bees in summer and again in autumn. It sits low on the menu for deer. The creeping stems form low mats of green leaves.
Pairs well with Ostrich fern, Aureola Japanese forest grass, and Virginia spiderwort.
Native range
Europe, Middle East, Central Asia, Asia, and 11 more places. See all 15
Europe, Middle East, Central Asia, Asia, Altay, Buryatiya, Føroyar, Irkutsk, Kirgizstan, Krasnoyarsk, Krym, NW. Balkan Pen., Sardegna, Tuva, and Yakutiya.