Changing Forget-Me-Not vs Common Globe-Thistle

Myosotis discolor compared with Echinops sphaerocephalus

Key Differences

• Changing Forget-Me-Not is Endangered while Common Globe-Thistle is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Changing Forget-Me-Not	Common Globe-Thistle
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Boraginales (Boraginales)	Afrosoricida (Afrosoricida)
Family	Boraginaceae	Tenrecidae
Genus	Myosotis	Echinops
Species	Myosotis discolor	Echinops sphaerocephalus

Conservation Status

Changing Forget-Me-Not

EN — Endangered

Common Globe-Thistle

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Changing Forget-Me-Not	Common Globe-Thistle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Changing Forget-Me-Not

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, montane grasslands and shrublands, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands, among 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (Georgia, Japan), Europe (8 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Argentina, Chile, Ecuador). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Globe-Thistle

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (19 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and Oceania and the Pacific (Australia).

Changing Forget-Me-Not

The Changing Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis discolor) is a species in the genus Myosotis. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, montane grasslands and shrublands, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands, among 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane

Common Globe-Thistle

<em>Echinops sphaerocephalus</em>, commonly known as the common globe-thistle or great globe-thistle, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Asteraceae. The species has a distribution spanning Europe, North America, and Oceania, with naturalization in several regions outside its native southern and central European range. <em>Echinops sphaerocephalus</em> typically inhabits dry, open, and disturbed habitats including roadsides, waste ground, rocky slopes, and steppe grasslands, where it is well adapted to poor, well-drained soils. It produces distinctive spherical, steel-blue flower heads that are highly attractive to pollinators, particularly bees and butterflies, making it a valued plant in native garden planting and ecological restoration. The species is not currently evaluated for conservation status. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. <em>Echinops sphaerocephalus</em> is a robust, spiny plant that can grow to considerable height and spreads readily in suitable open habitats. Its ornamental qualities and pollinator value have contributed to its deliberate planting in gardens and public green spaces beyond its native range.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 9 countries:

🇦🇺 Australia 🇧🇪 Belgium 🇨🇦 Canada 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇮 Finland 🇱🇻 Latvia 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States