Forget-Me-Nots
After observing Devil's Club, I couldn't help but feel that my observation was a little bit too basic. However, after reading your comments, I am reminded that many of you are not living in Southeast Alaska and don't always get to see the same wildlife and plants that I do. I believe this observation will be more familiar to fellow Alaskans, but I found it very interesting nonetheless!
My interest was piqued after finding some Forget-Me-Nots as I was walking my dog this week. Seeing as Forget-Me-Nots have been around abundantly all summer, and that it is our State Flower, I began to wonder about the history behind the flower and whether or not it has any uses.
First of all, there is some fun history behind its name. The flower is native to Europe, Asia, and North America. According to Harvesting History, there is an old story that a knight died trying to get Forget-Me-Nots to his lover, and his last words were "Forget me not!" (2016) This is why the flowers are often associated with love, loyalty, and remembrance (SnapBlooms, 2022).
Its biological name is Myosotis, (2023) which in Greek means "mouse ear". (The petals resemble a mouse ear.) It also goes by the name "scorpion grass". It is part of the family of Boraginaceae. The flowers in Juneau are often a periwinkle blue or light purple, but they can be white, yellow, and pink as well. The flowers are usually less than a centimeter long and have 5 petals.
There is not a lot of information on the practical uses of Myosotis, but it is said you can take extracts from the roots and flowers to use medicinally for lung conditions, such as asthma, and nosebleeds (SnapBlooms, 2022),
Forget-Me-Nots are often used as inspiration for all kinds of Alaskan artists, including many Native Alaskans!
Citations
Administrator. “Forget Me Not.” Harvesting History, 2 Mar. 2016, harvesting-history.com/forget-me-not/#:~:text=The%20common%20name%2C%20Forget%20Me,leaves%20resemble%20a%20mouse%27s%20ear.
“Myosotis.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Aug. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myosotis.
SnapBlooms, SnapBlooms. “Forget Me Not Flower - Myosotis Scorpioides.” SnapBlooms Blogs, 2022, www.snapblooms.com/blog/forget-me-not-flower/.
Comentarios
Hi Lera, I didn't know "Forget me nots" are native to Europe, Asia, and North America; I always thought they were originally from Alaska, so it's interesting hearing that. I also didn't know the history behind the flower; it's romantic but funny. It reminds me of Romeo and Juliet in how dramatic the story sounds. The word Myosotis just doesn't sound right compared to "forget me not," but I do like how, when translated, it means "mouse ear," it makes sense, considering how small the pedals are. I always thought of the flower as beautiful, but with no practical uses, so I was shocked that you could use the roots and flowers to treat certain conditions. I am glad I was able to learn more about "forget me nots" from your observation.
I thoroughly enjoyed your observation on our state flower, the Forget-Me-Not. I usually try to observe something naturally occurring for our weekly iNaturalist assignment when I go on walks with my dog as well! With it approaching the colder months though, I haven’t been able to observe a lot of the pretty flowers on our outings as much as I did in the spring and summertime. That being said, thanks for sharing this great information with me and the rest of our classmates–I had no idea these special little plants were also found as far as Asia and Europe as well as North America. On a personal note, I have serval tattoos that aren’t solely Forget-Me-Nots but they are incorporated into the design for their symbolism so it’s safe to say I am very fond of this flower and I think you did a good job on your post.
I have always wondered where the name "Forget Me Not" came from but never looked into it. It's a bit comical yet sweet that it comes from a knight professing his love while dying, and definitely makes for another fun fact to keep on the back burner of my brain. I find it interesting that the largest state has such a small and delicate state flower. Not that size matters, but it's an interesting observation! I particularly love the periwinkle color of the forget-me-nots in Southeast Alaska because it really helps brighten up a cloudy day. In fact, they almost stand out best when the skies are grey!
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