AN UNFORGETTABLE FORGET-ME-NOT GUIDE!
The forget-me-not we offer at Tragic Beautiful is also known as the woodland forget-me-not, scientific name myosotis sylvatica. This little plant blooms in spring, producing baby blue flowers with bright yellow centres. Forget-me-not is native to Europe and commonly found across the British Isles. Let's have a closer look at how to grown your own and how to take advantage of its magickal properties!
A QUICK GUIDE TO FORGET-ME-NOT
Magickal uses: Memory, support, healing, and peace
Plant me: In plenty of shade, during Spring
Water me: About 3 to 4 times a week
Safe for: Cats & dogs!
Edible: Yep! Ornamental forget-me-nots are edible, and can add a beautiful pop of colour to salads or even in baked goods! Just make sure not to eat too much, because they do contain pyrrolizidine which if injested in large quantities can cause harm.
FORGET-ME-NOT-FOLKLORE
Forget-me-not is known colloquially as "mouse ear", which comes to us from the Ancient Greeks who thought the small, dainty leaves resembled twitchy mice little ears. In fact, the scientific name myosotis literally translates to "mouse ear"!
Due to its widespread availability in Europe, there are many European folklore details spread throughout history. The name we use in English, forget-me-not, translates from the French ne m’oubliez pas and Henry IV of England adopted the forget-me-not as his symbol during his exile.. One German tale tells of a knight walking with his lady along a river, stopping to pick her a posy of flowers. He fell into the river as he picked and as the strong current carried him away, he threw the posy to his lover while crying "forget me not!".
MAGICKAL PROPERTIES & USES IN WITCHCRAFT
- Gender: Female
- Planet: Moon
- Element: Earth
As its name suggests, this little blue flower is associated with the persistence of memory. Use forget-me-not in spells for strengthening bonds of family and friendships and carry it with you in a mojo bag or as a dried flower to keep your loved one close to your heart.
Gift a live pot or posy of forget-me-nots to a loved one who is grieving or in need of support, showing them that you'll continue to think of them while the flowers bloom.
Forget-me-not can also be used in colour magick to represent healing and peace.
TIPS FOR GROWING FORGET-ME-NOT
The best time to plant forget-me-nots is in spring in plenty of shade, especially before they sprout. As they grow, they will tolerate more sun and can even become a hardy little border plant. You should expect to see a patch of delightful flowers after 6-8 weeks of growth. Forget-me-nots are self-seeding to ensure the survival of their patch, so take care not to leave it alone unless you want a garden full of little blue flowers!
You can purchase dried forget-me-not while you wait for your flowers to bloom.
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Photography by Alpine Light and Julia Zyablova