Myosotis eximia

[ChrisB]

Bought a plant labelled Myosotis eximia from the members table at Glasgow yesterday, got home, not mentioned in the Plantfinder and I can't find any pix on the web.  Label says it is from New Zealand.  I have one already from there but that's a grey, hairy leaved, tight cushion forming alpine, a lovely dome shape that I bought from Ron, no name but well behaved and has creamy white flowers. 

This new one is quite different in every way - has coarse bright green leaves about 3cm long and looks much more like a perennial garden plant rather than an alpine.  Can post a picture of the plant if it helps,  but no flowers yet.

If anyone knows anything about this plant so I get it off to a good start in my garden I'd be most grateful... it looked a bit lonely so I thought I'd better give it a home.....

[Lesley Cox]

It would help if you put on a picture Chris. I may not know it but another kiwi will.

[ChrisB]

Hi Lesley,

Here are pictures of both of them, perhaps someone will recognise them.

1. Myosotis eximia from NZ

2. Myosotis sp. from NZ

[ChrisB]

Sorry, just checked to see how the pics look and the Myosotis sp. pic I posted has bird poo on it lol, not a spent flower....

[Anthony Darby]

I have one of those Mysosotis sp. from the same source, but it hasn't flowered yet. I'd like to try more of these cushion forget-me-nots.

[ChrisB]

Mine flowered this year, a sweet creamy white flower, not all over, but it is outdoors in a sink.  Blackbirds practically demolished it in Feb looking for worms but it sprang back just fine and is now a nice mound again.  Love it.

[Lesley Cox]

Hi Chris. The lower one is Myosotis pulvinaris, very choice and in general, very difficult at least in the longer term and as it grows. Tends to brown off then collapse altogether.

The upper one I don't know but I'd say it generally fits the Flora description of M. eximia, with rosettes loose and not bunched and the leaves 10 x 1.5 cms or 10 x 2mm in dwarfed plants. The leaf stem is about the same length as the blade. M. eximia grows on limestone.

[ChrisB]

Many thanks Lesley, my but you are a mine of information!  I'll bear all this in mind when planting - I have acid soil so will have to put in a pot or something I guess.  Thanks too for the name of the other Myosotis, it makes a lovely mound and I really like it.  The flowers are very close to the mound when they come.  Such a neat little plant this is.

[David Lyttle]

Hi Chris,

I cant agree or disagree with the identification of Myosotis eximia - it is a North Island plant that I am not familar with. New Zealand has a multitude of local Myosotis species and they are finding more all the time. There is one sold here as Myosotis cheesemanii which it is not so I tend to be a bit sceptical about nursery labels.

Your second plant which Lesley identified is a beautiful example of Myosotis pulvinaris. It grows naturally on the higher Central Otago Ranges where it is a prominent component of the cushion field vegetation. Here are a couple of pictures of it in flower. I included the second so you can see the foliage.

[Paul T]

Good Grief!!    Never would have thought that was related to the forget-me-nots.  Wow!! 

[ChrisB]

Thanks for your help David.  I'll keep this one under wraps if it comes from the North Island, may be a bit more tender I guess?  It certainly looks very healthy right now.  My M. pulvinaris didn't flower in profusion like the one in your picture, but it did produce a few flowers before the blackbirds did it in.  As you see from the pic above, it mounded back up very nicely.  I like it for the foliage alone.

[David Lyttle]

Hi Chris,

I have looked up the cultural conditions for Myosotis eximia. Quote " It is easily grown and will thrive in almost any moist and well drained soil. It grows and looks best in a shady or semi-shady position. When out in the sun the foliage is inclined to burn. "
Distribution is North Is montane to low alpine areas of the Ruahine and Kaimanawa Ranges. My guess is that it does not need to be pampered and will probably withstand 4-5 degrees of frost. I doubt that it has an absolute requirement for lime - any good potting mix should be fine. I find NZ  species of Myosotis are generally short-lived but the can be propagated easily from seed or from offsets - it is a good idea to take a few rosettes out of a cushion and propagate them as insurance against losing the plant

[ChrisB]

Thanks David.  Will do.  It looks as if vegetative cuttings will strike, so I'll take a couple as insurance.  I have slightly acid, very sandy soil so it is not as moist as I'd like it to be, but I'll give it a go outside I guess, and let you know if it survives the winter here.  I often wonder about whether my S. African plants suffer here not from dryness, wind or cold, but from the absence of sunshine - soon it will be dark at 3.30pm and not light again until 8.30am.  Hate those two months - Dec and Jan, and of course the shadows are very long too, so parts of my garden see no direct light for two months.

[David Lyttle]

There is one sold here as Myosotis cheesemanii which it is not so I tend to be a bit sceptical about nursery labels.

Having had some dicussion on this issue with Louise and Peter from Hokonui Alpines who introduced this excellent plant into cultivation. I would like to clarify the matter further. First picture is Myosotis cheesemanii from the North Dunstan range. ( Alan Mark and his collegues have published several papers on the ecology of Myosotis from this locality and I had the good fortune to accompany them in the field there last year)

[David Lyttle]

Just accidently hit the post button so will continue.
Next picture is the Myosotis from Mt Hamilton in the Takatimu Range.
The plants look very different  with the contrasting colours.
Now a close up picture of the leafs showing the pattern of the hairs

Myosotis_cheesemanii_rosette_
 Myosotis_Mt_Hamilton_rosette_