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Chinese Forget-Me-Not

Cynoglossum amabile
Also known as: Chinese Forget-Me-Not, Hound's Tongue, Blue Showers

Chinese Forget-Me-Not is a flower in the Boraginaceae family. It grows best in part shade with medium to wet moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 2-10. Plants reach maturity about 75–85 days after planting and sit about 6 inches apart.

Varieties

1 from Seeds Now · sorted by days to maturity
  • Forget-Me-Not75–85 days

    The Chinese Forget-Me-Not (Cynoglossum amabile) is a highly productive easy-care annual. Produces adorable, delicate sprays of blue blossoms with scalloped petals around a blue center. Grows 1'-2' tall on thin, hairy stems with lance-shaped foliage. Stunning in the garden or as a cut flower. Life cycle: Annual Bloom season: Spring, summer Attracts: Hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators Flower meaning: True love

    Growing notes: Botanical name: Cynoglossum amabile|Hardiness zones: 1-10|Planting season: Spring, fall|Days to maturity: 75-85 days|Cold stratify: Yes|Depth to plant seeds: 1/4"|Spacing between plants: 8"-12" apart|Days to germinate (sprout): 7-10 days|Germination soil temps: 65F-70F|Soil types: Sandy, loamy, well-drained|Soil pH: 6.0-7.5|Water needs: Average|Sun needs: Full sun, part shade, full shade|Frost tolerant: Yes|Drought tolerant: Yes|Deer resistant: No

    View on Seeds Now
Family
Boraginaceae
Category
Flower
Form
Bush
Lifecycle
annual
Zone
2-10
Height
1.5–2.5 ft
Spread
0.5–1 ft
Sun
Part shade

Plant spacing

4 plants per square footSquare-foot planting diagram: a 1-foot square divided into a 2-by-2 grid holding 4 chinese forget-me-not plants spaced 6 inches apart.
4 plants per square foot

In a square-foot bed, space chinese forget-me-not about 6 in apart — that fits 4 plants in each 1-foot square (2×2). Wider rows or containers space the same.

Water
Medium to wet

Plan your chinese forget-me-not planting

Add chinese forget-me-not to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.

Start your free plan →

At a glance

Days to harvest
75–85 days
From transplant or sow to first harvest
Harvest style
Keep picking
Crops over several weeks
Frost tolerance
Hardy · to ~15°F
Lowest temperature the foliage usually survives

Growing timeline

When to plant and harvest chinese forget-me-notPlanting timeline for chinese forget-me-not, relative to last frost: start indoors from 10 weeks before last frost to 2 weeks before last frost; grow from 2 weeks before last frost to 9 weeks after last frost; harvest from 9 weeks after last frost to 10 weeks after last frost.Start indoorsGrowLast frostTransplant
Start chinese forget-me-not indoors ~8 weeks before transplanting 2 weeks before last frost; first harvest 9 weeks after last frost.
Seed to transplant
42-56 days
Outdoor planting
-14 to 0 days vs frost
Propagation
Seed
Schedule anchor
Last Frost

Care & troubleshooting— extension-sourced, with citations

When to feed, prune & water

Attract beneficial insects and protect pollinators

Protection
  • Routine carePlant insectary flowers and tolerate light pestsstrong evidence — extension confidence

    Grow a diversity of flowering plants (including small-flowered umbels and asters) to feed predators and parasitoids, and tolerate low pest numbers so natural enemies have prey to stick around.

    Source: UC IPM; UMN Extension

  • Routine careNever spray open bloomsstrong evidence — extension confidence

    Avoid insecticides on flowering plants and apply any needed sprays in the evening when pollinators aren't active, and favor selective products over broad-spectrum ones to spare bees and beneficials.

    Source: UC IPM

Something looks wrong?

Describe what you see on your chinese forget-me-notand we'll rank the likely causes — most likely first, least-invasive fix first.

Powdery mildew

Diseasemoderate

Symptoms: white powdery coating on upper leaf surfaces; starts as spots then spreads; leaves yellow and dry under the coating

  • CulturalImprove airflow + remove worst leavesstrong evidence — extension confidence

    Cut out the most heavily coated leaves and thin for airflow; avoid wetting foliage late in the day.

    Source: UC IPM

  • OrganicPotassium-bicarbonate or sulfur - label use only· every 1 wk · ~4 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence

    Apply a labeled potassium-bicarbonate or sulfur fungicide weekly per the label. No sulfur within 2 weeks of oil or in high heat.

    Always follow the product label — it is the law.

    Source: UC IPM

Aphids

Pestlow

Symptoms: clusters of tiny soft-bodied insects on new growth and undersides; sticky honeydew or sooty mold; curled distorted new leaves; ants tending them

  • CulturalBlast off with water· every 3 days · ~2 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence

    Knock colonies off with a strong jet of water in the morning; repeat every few days. Light infestations rarely need more.

    Source: UC IPM: Aphids

  • OrganicInsecticidal soap - label use only· every 1 wk · ~3 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence

    For persistent colonies apply insecticidal soap to undersides per label. Avoid open flowers.

    Always follow the product label — it is the law.

    Source: UC IPM