Botanical name: Myosotis • Family: Boraginaceae
Native to: Europe, Asia & the Americas • Bloom: Spring to early summer • Symbolizes: True love & remembrance
Small, sky-blue and unforgettable, the forget-me-not carries one of the most touching meanings of any flower: remembrance and true, faithful love. It scatters itself happily through spring gardens and holds deep sentimental significance around the world. Here’s the forget-me-not’s meaning, colors and how to grow it.
About the forget-me-not
Forget-me-nots belong to the genus Myosotis in the borage family and are found across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Each plant produces sprays of tiny, five-petaled flowers — usually a clear sky blue with a small yellow or white eye at the center.
Most garden forget-me-nots are biennials or short-lived perennials that self-seed generously, returning year after year and weaving themselves through borders, woodland edges and spring bulb plantings.
Forget-me-not meaning and symbolism
The forget-me-not’s name says it all: it stands for true love, faithful memories and remembrance, a plea to be remembered and a promise not to forget. It’s given to express enduring love and lasting connection between people who are apart.
Because of this symbolism, the forget-me-not has become an emblem of remembrance in many contexts — a symbol for Alzheimer’s awareness, a memorial flower in several countries, and a token of loyalty in Freemasonry.
Forget-me-not colors and varieties
The classic forget-me-not is sky blue with a yellow eye, but cultivated varieties also come in pink and white. Water forget-me-nots (Myosotis scorpioides) grow at pond edges, while woodland types thrive in shadier borders.
Popular garden varieties include the compact blue “Victoria” and mixed strains that combine blue, pink and white in a single sowing for a soft, cottage-garden effect.
How to grow and care for forget-me-nots
Forget-me-nots are wonderfully easy. They prefer partial shade and moist soil, though they tolerate sun in cooler climates, and they’re happiest naturalized under trees, among spring bulbs, or along a damp border.
Simply scatter seed in late spring or plant young plants in fall for spring flowers. Once established, they self-seed freely — so freely that you may need to thin them — giving a reliable carpet of blue every spring with almost no effort.
Forget-me-not in bouquets and gifts
Forget-me-nots make charming, delicate additions to spring posies and are a heartfelt gift to express lasting love or remembrance. In the garden, they’re the perfect living carpet beneath tulips and daffodils, and they’re beloved by early bees.
Fun facts about the forget-me-not
The forget-me-not’s name comes from the Old German Vergissmeinnicht and a medieval legend of a knight who, swept away by a river while gathering the flowers for his love, tossed them to her crying “forget me not.”
Because of its meaning, the tiny flower has become a global symbol of remembrance — it’s used to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, serves as a memorial flower in several countries, and is an emblem of remembrance within Freemasonry.
Forget-me-not quick care tips
- Grow in partial shade with moist soil
- Scatter seed in late spring, or plant young plants in fall
- Let plants self-seed to return each spring
- Thin seedlings if they become crowded
- Perfect for naturalizing under trees and among spring bulbs
- Check local guidance, as some species can spread widely
When to give forget-me-not
Forget-me-nots are the perfect flower to say “don’t forget me” — a heartfelt gift for someone far away, a token of true and faithful love, or a gentle flower of remembrance for honoring a cherished memory.
Forget-me-not FAQs
What does a forget-me-not symbolize?
The forget-me-not symbolizes true love, faithful memories and remembrance. It’s a way of asking to be remembered and promising not to forget, which is why it’s given between people who are apart and used as a memorial and remembrance flower.
What colors do forget-me-nots come in?
The classic forget-me-not is sky blue with a small yellow or white eye, but cultivated varieties also come in pink and white. Blue remains by far the most iconic color.
Are forget-me-nots annuals or perennials?
Most garden forget-me-nots are biennials or short-lived perennials. They self-seed so freely, though, that they effectively return year after year once established.
Are forget-me-nots invasive?
Forget-me-nots self-seed enthusiastically and can spread widely, and some species are considered invasive in certain regions. In a garden they’re easy to pull or thin, but it’s worth checking which type suits your area.
How do you grow forget-me-nots?
Scatter seed in late spring or plant young plants in fall in partial shade and moist soil. They’re very easy, naturalize beautifully under trees and among bulbs, and self-seed to return each spring on their own.
Why is the forget-me-not a symbol of remembrance?
Its very name is a plea to be remembered, so it has long stood for enduring memory and loyalty. Today it’s used as a symbol for Alzheimer’s awareness, as a memorial flower in several countries, and as an emblem of remembrance in Freemasonry.
See more blue flowers, flower meanings A–Z, and browse the full flower encyclopedia.