1 named cultivar

‘Blue Angel’Cape Forget-me-not

annual

Cape Forget-me-not

The Story

Plant Bio

Anchusa capensis, Cape forget-me-not, is a compact annual from South Africa, eight to eighteen inches high and about a foot across. Rough sandpapery basal leaves form a low rosette, and branching stems carry small intensely blue flowers with white eyes through summer, in a colour close to true gentian blue.

The blue is unusually pure for an easy annual, and it holds up in heat, dry soil and poor ground where most blue flowers fade. Both the flowers and the leaves are edible — the young leaves cook like spinach and the flowers scatter over salads. Cut it back after the first flush and it usually produces a second.

Uses & Benefits:

Intense gentian-blue flowers with white eyes, holding colour through heat and drought.

Edible flowers and leaves, and it thrives on the poor dry soil that defeats most annuals.

Butterflies, pollinators and specialist bees all work the flowers.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Annual

Height

13 inches

Width

10 inches

Light

Full Sun, Partial Sun

Zones

6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Water

Low

Humidity

Low

Lifespan

Annual

Native To

South Africa

Toxicity

Non-toxic; flowers and leaves are edible

Planting

How to Grow

Sow direct in spring in full sun.
Give it freely draining soil; poor is fine.
Thin seedlings rather than transplanting.
Do not feed, which produces leaf over flower.
Cut back after the first flush for a second.
Let it self-sow if you want it to return.

Pro Tip

Shear the whole plant back after the first flush — it regrows and flowers again rather than simply going over.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Sow direct into poor, dry soil 🌱
Cut back after the first flush ✂️
Use the flowers in salads 🥗
Let it self-sow 🍃

Don't

Feed or over-water it ❌
Transplant the seedlings ❌
Plant it in heavy wet ground ❌

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cut Back
Sow

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Hot dry annual borderContainers and gravel plantingEdible flower and cutting garden

Companion Plants

Nigella CalendulaCornflower GazaniaSweet Alyssum

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Cape Forget-me-not questions

What zones can Cape Forget-me-not grow in?

Cape Forget-me-not is hardy in USDA Zones 6–10. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Cape Forget-me-not deer resistant?

Not reliably. Deer may browse Cape Forget-me-not, especially tender spring growth — plan on repellents or fencing where pressure is high.

When does Cape Forget-me-not bloom?

Cape Forget-me-not typically blooms in early summer through mid-summer. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Cape Forget-me-not need full sun?

Cape Forget-me-not does best in full sun to part shade. In hot climates, afternoon shade keeps blooms fresher longer.

Is Cape Forget-me-not drought tolerant?

Yes — once established (usually after the first full season), Cape Forget-me-not handles dry spells with minimal watering. Water deeply its first year to build the root system that makes that possible.