Alaska is known as a rugged state that produces hearty specimen and good-natured people. The country is filled with wild beauty and diverse wildlife abounds throughout the year – even during the long winter months. Alaska might be the most Northern and largest state in the United States, but that did not stop these hearty residents from selecting a delicate and particularly sentimental flower as the state flower of Alaska.

The Forget-Me-Not

A classic in wedding bouquets for its sentimental names and meaning, the forget-me-not is a pretty blue flower that blooms in bunches in wooded areas. The forget-me-not is an unusual name with many potential origins, both religious and romantic. As legend goes, the small flower was one of the last to be named by God as he was creating plants and cried out, “Forget me not, Lord!”

Medieval folklore tells of a knight and his lady walking beside a steam where they happened upon the pretty blue flowers growing wild in the forest as they still do today in regions such as Alaska and other cooler areas. The knight went to pick a small bouquet of the flowers for his lady, but fell into the stream. The weight of his armor pulled him under. As he was drowning he tossed the bouquet to his lady love and called out, “Forget me not!”

However the name originated, the posies of blue flowers with sunny centers are still a symbol of love and faithfulness today. For this very reason they are often include in a bridal bouquet and have been throughout the centuries. In Alaska, there is much woodland beauty with towering mountains and enchanting waterways. Perhaps, it is the simple blue flowers that give the most beauty to the wilderness. Could this be why such a determined state has selected such as lovely and tender blossom?

Growing Forget-Me-Not

Forget-me-nots, or Myosotis alpestris, grow wild in cooler regions. You can grow your own forget-me-nots as annuals every year. Plant the seedlings in a lightly wooded area using plenty of compost to give the plants the rich organic soil they prefer. Water the plants evenly, and in the spring you’ll see a riotous mass of blue, white or pink blossoms throughout your trees.