The History of Forget-Me-Nots

Forget-Me-Nots are native to parts of Europe and Asia and parts of North America, depending on the species. European varieties were also introduced to parts of the United States through colonization and then naturalized the area. Woodland Forget-Me-Nots (Myosotis sylvatica) are one of the most common types and get their Genus name from the ancient Greek word mus, meaning “mouse,” and ous (or otos), meaning “ear,” likely because the plant’s foliage resembles a mouse’s ears. The name Forget-Me-Not reportedly comes from a legend that spread throughout the German-speaking world in the 14th and 15th centuries before being popularized in English-speaking cultures. According to the story, a medieval knight was walking alongside a river with his beloved when he spotted some small blue flowers by the water. As he attempted to retrieve them, he was swept away by the current but threw the bouquet back to his love on the shore and called, “Vergiss mein nicht!” (“Forget me not!”). The flowers soon took on the name Forget-Me-Not as well as symbolism of remembrance and are still used for this purpose in many cultures. Alpine Forget-Me-Nots (Myosotis alpestris) became popular in Alaska, where they grow wild, in the early 1900s and when the territory became a state, they were selected as the official state flower. Today, Forget-Me-Nots are common in wild areas and are also widely cultivated in gardens, particularly the Myosotis sylvatica variety, and the flowers are widely used to symbolize remembrance and care.