Navelwort (Blue-Eyed Mary, Creeping Forget-Me-Not, Navelseed)
Omphalodes species. BORAGINACEAE.
Planting and Growing Navelwort
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow navelwort in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of navelwort
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for navelwort
- Season of bloom and planting time for navelwort
- When, how deep, and where to plant navelwort
- How to plant navelwort
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of navelwort
- Landscape and container uses of navelwort
- Comments about navelwort and its features
Growing Navelwort
About 24 species of low, mounding, spreading or trailing, semi-evergreen annual or perennial herbs, 6–18 in. (15–45 cm) tall, 2–3 ft. (60–90 cm) wide. Alternate, smooth or finely hairy, deep green, oval, pointed leaves, 3–4 in. (75–100 mm) long.
Commonly cultivated species include blue-eyed Mary, Omphalodes nitida, Cappadocian navelwort, Omphalodes cappadocica, and creeping navelwort, Omphalodes verna.
See also Water Forget-Me-Not, Myosotis scorpioides, and Wood Forget-Me-Not, Myosotis sylvatica, members of a related genus with similar appearance.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
Many blue, white, open, 5-petaled flowers, to 1/2‑in. (12‑mm) wide, in branching sprays, in spring.
Best Climates
Semi-hardy. Plant as annual, zones 2–5; ground hardy, zones 6–10.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained soil. Fertility: Average. 6.5–7.5 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Early spring in partial to full shade, 1 ft. (30 cm) apart.
Proper Care
Very easy. Keep moist; allow soil surface to dry between waterings. Fertilize monthly. Propagate by division, seed.
About This Plant
Good choice for accents, ground covers, massed plantings in meadow, natural, woodland gardens. Deer, pest, and disease resistant.