Native Plants
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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
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.
rate this answer
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
Location of Indian Paintbrush in Lewisville, TX area
April 21, 2011 - Know the location of any spots where Indian Paintbrushes grow in North Texas? I'm in Lewisville, about 10 miles north of Dallas.
view the full question and answer
Seed regrowth through mulch
September 06, 2007 - Hi Mr. Smarty Plants: I have planted a perennial and wildflower garden and would like to put mulch down to control the weeds and retain moisture. Will the plants that drop their seeds be able to re- ...
view the full question and answer
Re-blooming bluebonnets in May in Kyle TX
May 30, 2011 - My bluebonnets in flower bed bloomed beautifully this spring.
Now it is late May and they bloomed again. Why is this? I never saw these flowers bloom twice in a season.
view the full question and answer
Meadow garden for Colorado Springs CO
June 03, 2012 - We recently purchased a restored home on a mesa just above the downtown area of Colorado Springs on the front range. The previous owners seeded the front lawn with blue gramma and told me that all I ...
view the full question and answer
Mosquito-deterring plants for shady hillside
July 05, 2011 - We have a part to full shaded hill side/ native woodland area that was once covered with english ivy..we managed to get rid of all the ivy but now we are overtaken with violets..maybe they are even na...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |