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Myosotis alpestris

Common name:	Alpine Forget-Me-Not	Family:	Boraginaceae
Author:	F.W.Schmidt.	Botanical references:	17, 200
Synonyms:	Myosotis rupicola
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Britain, Europe, W. Asia and N. America.
Habitat:	Rare and local in Britain, growing in damp woodlands and meadows, usually on basic rock formations[17, 200].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	M. alpestris ssp. asiatica[B,P] M. asiatica[B,P] M. oblongata[G] M. sylvatica[B,,E,G,H,L,P] M. sylvatica var. alpestris[B,P]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Asian Forget Me Not [P], Asian Forget-me-not [B], Wood Forget-me-not [L], Woodland Forget Me Not [P], Woodland Forget-me-not [B,H],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	alpestris = of low mountains growing in the mountains
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Lamiales. Borage family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Lesotho

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.2m by 0.3m . It is hardy to zone 4. It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from July to September. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies and Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist or wet soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Bog Garden, Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Astringent Ophthalmic.

The whole plant is astringent and ophthalmic[7]. Used as a lotion, it is an excellent remedy for many eye diseases[7]. It is also ground into a powder and applied externally to wounds, at one time the leaf juice was used to stop nose bleeds[7]. The plant is harvested in May and can be dried for later use[7].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Prefers a well-drained gritty soil[245].
Plants are hardy to about -20° c[187].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].
The flowers are deliciously fragrant in the evening and night time though there is little or no scent in the daytime[245].

Propagation

Seed - sow outdoors in situ in late spring or early summer. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 4 weeks at 20° c.
Division in spring[111]. Large divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.
Cuttings of young shoots, summer in a shady border[111].

Scent

Flowers: Fresh: The flowers are deliciously fragrant in the evening and night time though there is little or no scent in the daytime[245].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Myosotis asiatica (a possible synonym).

[V] Images from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A& M Bioinformatics Working Group.
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.

References for Myosotis sylvatica (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.

References for the family Boraginaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[111] Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge 1926
A fairly wide range of perennial plants that can be grown in Britain and how to grow them.

[187] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991 ISBN 0-330-30936-9
Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Myosotis+alpestris
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