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Common Name: Alpine Forget-Me-Not

General Information

Myosotis alpestris is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.20 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine..

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Britain, Europe, W. Asia and N. America.

Habitat

Rare and local in Britain, growing in damp woodlands and meadows, usually on basic rock formations[, ].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.20 m
Pollinators	Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a well-drained gritty soil[].
Plants are hardy to about -20°c[].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[].
The flowers are deliciously fragrant in the evening and night time though there is little or no scent in the daytime[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The whole plant is astringent and ophthalmic[]. Used as a lotion, it is an excellent remedy for many eye diseases[]. It is also ground into a powder and applied externally to wounds, at one time the leaf juice was used to stop nose bleeds[]. The plant is harvested in May and can be dried for later use[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow outdoors in situ in late spring or early summer. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 4 weeks at 20°c.
Division in spring[]. Large divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.
Cuttings of young shoots, summer in a shady border[].