The alpine forget-me-not

Among the floral procession of dwarf plants covering the windy ridges, the king of the Alps predominates. Needless to say, this bright blue flower has been named the “blue king-of-the-Alps”. Its pretty blue flowers are found high up in the mountains at an altitude reaching 3,750 metres, grouped in cushion-like clusters, nestled into the rocky crevices of the exposed ridges, often in the company of génépi and androsace. This small forget-me-not can live for decades. The alpine forget-me-not was named by botanist Schrader because of its hairy, silk-like appearance. In Greek, eiros means wool and thrix, or hair.