Omphalodes

( om - fal - LOH - deez )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of flowering perennial plants needs partial shade and regular water, and thrive in woodland gardens. They resemble Myosotis, but are not as freely seeding and have deeper blue, larger flowers. These plants are great for banks, on walls, or anywhere that their flowers can be viewed from close-up. Species are commonly called Navelwort, and make fantastic groundcovers or container-grown plants. They can also be added to fronts of borders and mixed beds for pops of small, delicate blue flowers.

Omphalodes Species and Varietals

The genus Omphalodes is a member of the plant family Boraginaceae, and includes 11 distinct species, two of which are commonly cultivated as landscape ornamentals. The best growing zones for Omphalodes vary depending on the species grown; for more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Omphalodes cappadocica (Cappadocian Navelwort)
This species grows best in zones 2b-9 and 14-21 and is native to Turkey. This plant forms a clump of bright green foliage and produces sprays of bright blue flowers with white eyes in springtime. Varieties include 'Lilac Mist' (with grey-lavender flowers on a plant that reaches 10 inches tall) and 'Starry Eyes' (a 10 inch tall plant that has lilac flowers with blue spots). There are also selections with white flowers.

Omphalodes verna (Blue-Eyed Mary, Creeping Navelwort)
This species grows best in zones 2-9 and 14-21, and is native to the mountain ranges of Europe. It forms a mat of dark greenery 3 inches tall and 3 feet or more wide. Flowers are deep blue with white eyes.

Caring for Omphalodes

These woodland landscape plants do best in full sun to partial shade. The ideal exposure is dappled sunshine, with more shade during the warmer afternoon hours and sunlight in the morning. These plants do not like exposure to direct sunlight, which can burn foliage and stress plants out. They prefer soil to be rich, well-draining, and have a pH of between 6.0 and 8.0 (mildly acidic to mildly alkaline). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. When planting, space about 10 inches apart. Put down a 1-2 inch layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and increase soil moisture retention. Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system. At maturity, these plants thrive in moist soils. The more sun these plants are situated in, the more water they will need.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. These plants are not heavy feeders, and this should be sufficient to provide the necessary nutrients for the active growing and flowering seasons. Navelworts are considered to be easy-care plantings, and do not need much in the way of pruning, except to remove dead, damaged, or diseased foliage to clean up plants. When flowers have faded, stems can be removed to discourage reseeding. Over time, these plants can be divided to improve health and flowering. For instructions on how to successfully divide Omphalodes plants, see the Propagation section below.

Propagation

Omphalodes, or Navelwort, can be propagated either by division or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the division method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Navelwort, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Omphalodes by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
Harvest your seeds. The seed heads on plants are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will continue to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
In either late winter or early springtime, get your container prepared. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 2-4 weeks from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Because Myosotis plants grow so easily from seed, it is possible to simply broadcast seeds across a bed. In the middle of summertime, rake the top of a bed or border, loosening soil and leveling it out a bit. Broadcast seeds and water them in. The seedlings will emerge in fall, and blooming will occur the following springtime.

Propagating Omphalodes by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil (any kind will do, though it does need to be well-draining), compost and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in very early spring (after the plant has entered dormancy, but before it has begun its new spring growth), and needs to be done every few years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance. To propagate by division, follow these steps:

Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the root(s). Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out.
Start to tease apart the roots with your gloved fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick root section attached.
Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your divisions and water thoroughly.
Apply a thick layer of mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout in the next growing season.