Where it's from

Europe and western Asia

What Forget-me-not does to the habitat

Forget-me-not forms large monocultures in or near streams, crowding out native plants.

Long planted in gardens, it has worked its way into the wilds.

Management

Picking by hand or removing with a pond rake will get rid of small stands.

Larger infestations can be treated with herbicide or controlled with harvesting machines.

DESCRIPTION

Botanical Glossary

Myosotis scorpioides is an herbaceous perennial that grows 20-60 cm (8-20 in.) in height. This plant often creeps, and has fibrous roots or stolons. The leaves of this plant are pubescent and evergreen. The lower leaves are usually oblanceolate while its other leaves are usually more oblong or elliptic. These leaves are obtuse and narrow at the base. They are 2.5-8 cm (1-3 in.) long and 7-20 mm (0.25-0.75 in.) wide. The small flowers are usually blue (rarely white) with a yellow center. They are flat and measure 6-7 mm (0.25 in.) wide. The racemes are located terminally and are many-flowered. The pedicel is longer than the calyx, which is strigose. The nutlets, which contain the seeds, are angled and keeled on the inner side. Page References Bailey 834, Crow & Hellquist 285, Fernald 1204, Gleason & Cronquist 422, Holmgren 396, Magee & Ahles 861, Newcomb 194, Peterson & McKenny 334.