Arctic Alpine Forget-Me-Not
Eritrichium nanum
- Native to:
- Austria, Canada, France, Italy, NW. Balkan Pen., Romania, Switzerland, United States
iNaturalist: © aleksandr_levon (iNaturalist #127858423)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Boraginaceae
- Genus:
- Eritrichium
- Species:
- Eritrichium nanum
- USDA Symbol:
- ERNA
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 10 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- blue
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to alpine regions, prefers high altitudes
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require cold stratification and may germinate erratically. Best sown fresh in autumn for natural cold treatment.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: 6 month outdoor cold, moist stratification
Establishment: Seeds are collected in late August. Hand collect mature seed capsules when they begin to split and turn tan in color. Seeds are black at maturity. E. nanum occurs in rocky places at high elevations; irregularly circumboreal, south to the southern Rocky Mountains, in our range from Montana to northeastern Oregon and in the north Cascades, Washington.
Source: npn.rngr.net