Also known as scorpion grass, this rhizomatous herbaceous perennial is in the borage family, Boraginaceae, that also includes lungwort, heliotrope, and Siberian bugloss. It is native to Europe and Asia where it grows in damp or wet habitats, such as bogs, ponds, and streams. The plant grows up to 18″ tall and has upright to decumbent angular stems. The semi-evergreen, shiny green leaves are oblong to linear and up to 4′ long. From spring to summer, branched cymes appear bearing light sky blue, 5-lobed flowers with yellow centers. The flowers are 1/4″ across and attractive to butterflies and other pollinators. The cymes resemble a coiled scorpion’s tail especially when in bud and early bloom. Forget-me-not selfseeds and can become weedy but is a good choice for butterfly, pollinator, bog and water gardens. It also does well as a groundcover. The genus name, Myosotis, comes from the ancient Greek words μυοσ (myos) meaning mouse’s and ωτίς (otis) meaning ear, and may refer to the resemblance of the foliage or the petals to a mouse’s ear. The specific epithet, scorpioides, comes from the Latin word scorpio, meaning scorpion, and refers to resemblance of the inflorescence to a scorpion’s tail.
Type: Semi-evergreen herbaceous perennial
Size: 6-18″ H x 8-12″ W
Bloom: Cymes of small sky blue 5 lobed flowers from spring into summer.
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Organic, consistently moist to wet (water up to 3″ deep)
USDA Hardiness: Zones 5-9
Care: Pinch to promote bushiness; cut back after flowering
Pests and Diseases: Generally healthy but susceptible to mildew and rust.
Propagation: Seed, division in early spring, stem cuttings in summer
Companion Plants: Astilbe, trailing lobelia (Lobelia erinus), beebalm
Outstanding Selections:
‘Alba’ (white flowers)
‘Mermaid’ (blue flowers on branching stems)
‘Semperflorens’ (dwarf, 6-8″ tall, floriferous)
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Karen