About Omphalodes verna Moench
Omphalodes verna Moench, commonly called creeping forget-me-not or creeping navelwort, reaches 20–30 centimeters (7.9–11.8 in) in height. Its stems grow creeping across the ground, which gives it the common name creeping forget-me-not. This species is classified as a hemicryptophyte, meaning its overwintering buds sit just below the soil surface. Omphalodes verna spreads quickly, is hard to uproot, and some sources note it may even be invasive, though it mostly coexists well with other plant species. Its leaves are grooved, semi-evergreen, and medium green, roughly 30 millimeters (1.2 in) long and 20 millimeters (0.79 in) wide. Leaves are veiny, covered in fine hairs, oval to heart-shaped, and pointed at the tip. In spring, the plant produces clusters of 3 to 5 small, light blue hermaphrodite flowers on stalks, with white or yellow star-shaped centers. The flowers have a fused, five-lobed wheel-shaped corolla that is 7–15 millimeters (0.28–0.59 in) across. Flowering occurs from March through May. The plant's mericarps are hairy, navel-shaped, and around 2 millimeters (0.079 in) long. Creeping navelwort is cultivated as an ornamental plant in many countries, and can be easily propagated from seed. It is often confused with true forget-me-nots (Myosotis species) due to their very similar flowers, but can be distinguished by several traits: it has much larger, coarser, slightly prickly leaves, holds firmly to the ground, and produces very different fruits. Unlike forget-me-not fruits, which are covered in fine hooked hairs to aid dispersal, the fruits of Omphalodes verna lack these hooked hairs. This species is widespread across central and southeastern Europe, but is not found in the Pyrenees. It is also present in Quebec, Canada. It typically grows in shaded areas under trees, including moist mountain forests (especially beech forests), wastelands, and scrublands. It prefers moist sandy or clay loam soils in shady locations, growing at altitudes between 0 and 1,300 meters (0–4,265 ft) above sea level.
