Wild Native Forget-Me-Not
(Myosotis alpestris)
Adopted on April 28, 1917.
The Governor signed the bill into law
April 28, 1917. Ten years later, the
forget-me-not, Myosotis alpestris,
received yet another honor when Alaska's
flag was adopted. The designer said the
blue field, or background, represents
Alaska's skies and the forget-me-not.
When Alaska became a state, it kept
the forget-me-not as its official state
flower.
The alpine forget-me-not is a
perennial that grows 5 to 12 inches high
in alpine meadows. The flowers have five
connected salviform petals, colored sky
blue, that are a quarter to a third of
an inch wide. They have a white inner
ring and a yellow center. Prefers cold,
partial shade or partial sun to full
sun; soil should be dry with a humous,
moist soil.
The plant can be found in most areas
across the state. A member of the borage
family (Boraginaceae) its delicate
blossoms add color to Alaska's hills and
valleys during the brief summer months.
The Forget-Me-Not was designated the
official state flower of Alaska because
it is thought to be a flower of
constancy and perseverance; traits which
perfectly characterized Alaska's first
intrepid pioneers.
The best time to see the alpine
forget-me-not is midsummer, from late
June to late July.
- Flowers - April -
September. Bright, clear blue, 5
petals in a disc, with little yellow
"ring" at the center.
- Leaves - Basal leaves
elliptical and hairy, in a rosette
at the bottom, about 2 cm long.
- Habitat - Rocky
mountainous areas, woods, humid
fields. Altitudes of 700-2800 m.
One species, Myosotis rupicola, which
we shall note again as M. alpestris,
loves rocks and stones, and will thrive
in a comparatively dry position. It is
one of Alaskan Flower Essence Project
essences its use is as follows: "Opening
our hearts to allow the release of fear
and pain held deep in the subconscious;
remembering our original innocence. "
Alaska Statutes.
Title 44. State Government
Chapter 9. State Seal, Flag, and
Emblems
Section 50. State Flower.
The wild native forget-me-not is the
state flower and floral emblem.
Wild Native Forget-Me-Not
Taxonomic Hierarchy
|
Kingdom |
Plantae -- Plants |
Subkingdom |
Tracheobionta --
Vascular plants |
Superdivision |
Spermatophyta -- Seed
plants |
Division |
Magnoliophyta --
Flowering plants |
Class |
Magnoliopsida --
Dicotyledons |
Subclass |
Asteridae |
Order |
Lamiales |
Family |
Boraginaceae -- Borage
family |
Genus |
Myosotis L. --
forget-me-not P |
Species |
Myosotis asiatica
(Vesterg.) Schischkin &
Sergievskaja – Asian
forget-me-not
Myosotis alpestris
auct. non F.W. Schmidt |
|