Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
1 rating

Saturday - March 04, 2006

From: Dallas, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Possible locations of fields of Forget-Me-Nots, Myosotis
Answered by: Nan Hampton and Dean Garrett

QUESTION:

This might be kind of a weird question but me and my girlfriend have a really special thing with the forget me not wild flowers, and I will be asking her to marry me soon and would love to do it in a field of forget me nots. I would like to know if you knew of such a place here in the U.S. and what would be the season? Thank you so much.

ANSWER:

Not a weird question at all. Forget-me-nots, genus Myosotis, are delicately beautiful wildflowers, the subject of romantic legend in Europe. A few of the more ornamental European species have been introduced into the US and those are the ones that are sometimes planted in masses for displays in botanic gardens. With a brief internet search, I was able to find evidence of large plantings of Europe's Woodland Forget-me-not, Myosotis sylvatica, in Pennsylvania at Longwood Gardens and in Vermont at the American Meadows/Vermont Wildflower Farm. That species blooms from April to June in the northeast.

If the far northwest sounds more romantic to you, Mountain Forget-me-not, Myosotis alpestris, a North American native, is the state flower of Alaska, where it blooms from April to September. The species grows wild as far south as Oregon. The Alaska Native Plant Society or the Alaska Botanical Gardens may be able to help you locate picturesque stands.

The mission of the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center is to promote native plants, and I have to tell you that there are two species of forget-me-nots native to north Texas, where you live: Spring Forget-me-not, Myosotis verna, and Large-Seed Forget-me-not, Myosotis macrosperma. They bloom from March to May. They are very diminutive little things, easy to overlook, but your girlfriend might be very impressed that you were dedicated enough to seek them out. Good luck.
 

More Wildflowers Questions

Low maintenance native plants for college campus in Monterey, CA
June 30, 2005 - I am a graduate student at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. We are researching ways to save money (decreased maintenance, pesticide/herbicide use, etc) on our campus. I need so...
view the full question and answer

Growing Lupinus perennis in sandy soil.
February 15, 2009 - I want to grow Lupinus perennis for the Karner butterfly. I know it won't grow in clay (my soil is wet clay). Can I plant the plant in a big (20" diameter x 17" tall) rubber pot, and fill the pot w...
view the full question and answer

When to mow bluebonnets
May 12, 2005 - I have approx. 2 acres on the side and front of my house in Austin County. When can I mow the remaining high grass and not disturb the natural renewal? Also, I plan to purchase more bluebonnet seed ...
view the full question and answer

Illegal to pick roadside wildflowers from Vilonia AR
May 11, 2013 - Is it illegal to pick roadside wildflowers in Arkansas?
view the full question and answer

Bluebonnet rosettes in July from Austin
July 30, 2012 - Dear Mr S.P.: Please solve my bluebonnet summer mystery! I established about 1500 sq feet of bluebonnets starting four years ago by scavenging seeds here and there and just scattering in the sprin...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.