Medicinal Monday...Forget Me Nots

Scientifically, Forget Me Not flowers are called Myosotis. The name, Forget Me Not has an interesting origin. It is a Greek word that means mouse ears. This star-shaped flower was named because this plant's leaves are curved resembling a mouse's ears.  Native American communities found several interesting uses for this delicate spring flower. There are seven species that grow in New England, but only two were used medicinally.

Myosotis sylvatica

About Forget Me Nots

The flower, Forget Me Nots were originally described by Carl Linnaeus. This flower is in the Boraginaceae family that includes 2,000 species of shrubs, trees, and herbs worldwide. In New England there are several species of Forget Me Nots but only two that were used medicinally. Myosotis laxa is found throughout New England. It grows along stream banks, the shoreline of ponds, and in wetlands and marshes. The leaves are simple and don't separate into leaflets. The flowers range from blue to purple and pink to red and have five petals, sepals that are fused into a cup. The fruit is dry and doesn't split open when ripe in the fall. Myosotis sylvatica, also found in New England is a Eurasian native wildflower that was introduced to America. It can be found along the edges of forests, and in fields, grass, and meadows. It is known to self-seed aggressively. The leaves are simple and there is one leaf per node along the stem. The flowers have five petals, sepals that are fused into a cup and range in color from blue to purple or white. The seed pods of both plants disperse themselves by clinging to fur or clothing

Myosotis laxa

Uses of Forget Me Nots

Forget Me Nots have long been used for lung problems and to stop nose bleeds. Many Indigenous people used the juice from the leaves of Myosotis sylvatica to stop nose bleeds.  The Iroquois made a compound decoction of the Myosotis sylvatica plant and mixed it into feed as an aid to cows' birthing.  The Makah People of the Olympic Peninsula rubbed the entire plant of Myosotis laxa on their hair to condition it and keep it in place.

Did You Know...

Henry IV adopted the forget-me-not as his emblem in 1398.

In medieval Germany, lovers wore forget-me-nots to ensure they would not forget each other while they were apart.

In Newfoundland, forget-me-nots were once used to commemorate the war dead.

In the Victorian language of flowers, the forget-me-not flower means friendship, loving remembrance, and fidelity.

This flower is used as a Masonic emblem and is worn worldwide by Free Masons to remember all who suffered during the Nazi era.

In New Zealand and the Netherlands, it is the symbol of Alzheimer's.