Botanical name:

Myosotis pansa

Common name(s):

Forget-me-not

Plant facts:

Found in the North Island in coastal areas north of the Manukau Heads and further south on the west coast. This is a strong-growing variety of Myosotis, forming rosettes of green leaves and bearing relatively large white flowers in summer.

Natural habitat:

Open, coastal forest, scrub or flaxland, or amongst ferns and low grasses, in semi-shaded sites, on banks, cliffs, ledges and colluvial slopes directly above the sea. Occasionally found up to 300 m inland from the sea.

Growing environment:

Sun, Shade, Wind, Coastal& Free draining tolerant.

Endemic distribution:

New Zealand’s Waitakere coastline, western North Island from Muriwai Beach to Waterfall Bay

Height: 30cm

Flowering: 

September - February with a white coloured flower/s 

Fruiting:

November – July

Uses:

Bird food / Attractant, Bee food & Riparian plantings

How to grow:

An attractive and easily grown native forget-me-not. It grows well in a moist but free draining soil, and can tolerate open sunny conditions or semi-shade. Fresh seed germinates readily, and plants once established, freely set seed, producing numerous seedlings. However, in humid climates plants are prone to powdery mildew infections, and like many other indigenous forget-me-nots plants are prone rust infections, which make the leaves swollen and unsightly.

** Seed germinates without pre treatment. 4 weeks cold stratification will help speed this up though