Pollinator plant

Chinese forget-me-not

Cynoglossum amabile

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Common names

23 names · 15 languages
EnglishYour language
+4 more namesShow fewer names
  • Chinese Hound's Tongue[1]
  • Chinese hound's-tongue[2][3]
  • Hound's Tongue[4]
  • Purple Hounds Tongue[2][3]
Other languages (14)
Dutch
  • Chinees vergeet-mij-nietje
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Danish
  • kinesisk hundetunge[3]
Finnish
  • tiibetinkoirankieli[3]
German
  • China-Hundszunge[2][3]
  • Liebliche Hundszunge[1]
Japanese
  • シナワスレナグサ[3]
Lithuanian
  • Darželinė šunlielė[3]
Norwegian
  • kinahundetunge[3]
Polish
  • ostrzeń powabny[3]
Russian
  • Чернокорень приятный[3]
Slovak
  • psí jazyk ľúbezný[3]
Spanish
Swedish
  • kinesisk förgätmigej[3]
Sources & name notes (5)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Cynoglossum amabile ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Chinese hound's tongue (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 145663; taxon VJVCV.
  • Liebliche Hundszunge (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 145664; taxon VJVCV.
[2] Cynoglossum amabile — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • China-Hundszunge — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • Chinese forget-me-not — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • Chinese hound's-tongue — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • Purple Hounds Tongue — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • Azulejo — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • Nomeolvides — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
[3] Cynoglossum amabile — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • China-Hundszunge — results[26].names[3]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • Chinese forget-me-not — results[26].names[1]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • Chinese hound's-tongue — results[26].names[7]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • Purple Hounds Tongue — results[26].names[11]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • Azulejo — results[26].names[13]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • Nomeolvides — results[26].names[2]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • kinahundetunge — results[26].names[4]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • 倒提壶 — results[26].names[5]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • tiibetinkoirankieli — results[26].names[6]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • Darželinė šunlielė — results[26].names[8]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • シナワスレナグサ — results[26].names[9]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • kinesisk förgätmigej — results[26].names[10]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • Чернокорень приятный — results[26].names[12]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • ostrzeń powabny — results[26].names[14]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • kinesisk hundetunge — results[26].names[15]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • psí jazyk ľúbezný — results[26].names[16]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • 倒提壺 — results[26].names[17]; taxon id 161415; Cynoglossum amabile.
[4] Cynoglossum amabile — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Blue Showers — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • Chinese Forget-me Not — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Cynoglossum amabile.
  • Hound's Tongue — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Cynoglossum amabile.
[5] Royal Horticultural Society — common names ↗

Names retained from the referenced botanical profile or table.

Source records
  • Chinese forget-me-not — Page 3, column 1, row top 682 pt; common-name cell after Cynoglossum amabile.; Cynoglossum amabile.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Cynoglossum amabile is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Boraginaceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Mature height
0.3–0.61 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
0.2–0.3 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Rounded

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Annual

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Medium

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Moist

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Autumn; Spring; Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: pollinators.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Pollinator guidance
RHS includes Cynoglossum amabile in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.

RHS planting guidance. Choose accessible flowers with pollen and nectar; reduced-resource and double-flowered forms may be unsuitable.

Sources [3]
Native range
C. Nepal to C. China and Thailand.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [4]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Medium suitability
Nectar value Medium
Pollen value Medium
Plant profile

About this plant

Chinese Hound's Tongue (Cynoglossum amabile) is a herbaceous plant. It flowers from July to September.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Cynoglossum amabile — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 5293872; ID VJVCV; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 5293872; ID VJVCV; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Cynoglossum amabile — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Mature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleGrowth rateLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Garden Plants

    RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.

    Supports: Pollinator guidance
    Relevant sections
    • Pollinator guidance: Page 3, column 1, entry Cynoglossum amabile (top 682 pt)

    Source checked on .

  4. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Cynoglossum amabile — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 1363817; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 1314549, 1314551, 1314552, 1314554, 1314555, 1314556

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.