Alaska was the second to last state to be added to the United States of America. It is the wildest and natural state for anyone who has been lucky enough to visit, it is truly unforgettable. It is fitting that the state floral emblem is the native Alpine Forget-Me-Not. There are conflicting reports on when the flower was adopted as the state floral emblem, some say it was 1917 some say 1949. Both were before Alaska was officially made a state in 1959.
The Alpine Forget-Me-Not is a native perennial that grows in high alpine meadows to a height of 5”-12”. They bloom midway through the short Alaskan summer from late June to late July. The Alpine Forget-Me-Not is part of a family of plants that naturally produce some of the few true blue pigments found in natural flowers. The flowers have 5 blue petals with a yellow center and fuzzy, hair-like fibers on the stem and flowers. It has almost no fragrance during the day but is very fragrant in the evening. The Alpine Forget-Me-Not is a symbol of faithfulness and remembrance to the native people of Alaska.
