Alaska State Flower – Forget-Me-Not

Botanical Name

Myosotis alpestris

Year Adopted

1917

Peak Bloom

June to July

History

The Forget-Me-Not was chosen as the state flower 42 years before Alaska was officially admitted as the 49th state of the U.S.

Fun Fact

The blue background of the state flag is said to be inspired by the blue of this Alaskan flower.

Alaska named the Forget-me-not as its official flower before it was even a state! The flower was first chosen by the “Grand Igloo,” an organization formed by pioneers who arrived in Alaska before 1900. They named the flower in their constitution in 1907, and it quickly was adopted by the broader population as a symbol of the Alaskan region.

In 1912, the U.S. Congress passed the second Organic Act, which authorized Alaska to create a territorial government with limited powers. Just five years later in 1917 a bill was introduced that proposed the Forget-me-not be declared the official floral emblem of the Territory.

The Forget-me-not is a small clump-forming perennial with sky blue petals which grow 5 to 12 inches high in alpine meadows. They have a white inner ring and a yellow center. The best time to spot alpine Forget-me-nots is midsummer, from late June to late July. The flowers are very fragrant in the evening and night time, but give off little or no scent in the daytime.

Growing Information

Soil

Damp

Sun

Partial Shade

Zones

4 - 9

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