Edelweiss

About

Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum), is one of the best–known European mountain flowers, belonging to the sunflower family (Asteraceae). The name comes from German «Edel» (meaning «Noble») and «Weiss» (meaning «White»). The scientific name, Leontopodium, means «Lion's paw» and is derived from the Greek words leon (lion) and podion (diminutive of pous, foot).
Leaves and flowers are covered with white hairs and appear woolly (tomentose). Flowering stalks of Edelweiss can grow to a size of 3–20 cm (in cultivation, up to 40 cm). Each flower consists of five to six small yellow flower heads (5 mm) surrounded by leaflets in star form with about 10–12 petals, arranged in a circle. If you look under a microscope or magnifying glass, you will notice that they are covered with silvery hairs (trihomi), which are so twisted and plaited that mask the green color of leaves. These hairs are dead cells with cell gaps and air when the light is reflected from them, seem silvery white. The flowers are in bloom between July and September.
Edelweiss grows in inaccessible places in the high areas of 2000–2900 m altitude. The plant is unequally distributed and prefers rocky limestone places. Worldwide there are more than twenty types of edelweiss, in Europe only found two. Most unusual species of Everest and the Himalayas.
It is not toxic, and has been used traditionally in folk medicine as a remedy against abdominal and respiratory diseases. The dense hair appears to be an adaption to high altitudes, protecting the plant from cold, aridity and UV radiation. Since it usually grows in inaccessible places, it is associated in many countries of the alpine region with mountaineering. Its white colour is considered a symbol of purity, and holds a Latin as well as Romanian name, floarea reginei (Queen's flower).
Edelweiss is a protected plant in many countries, including Mongolia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Switzerland, France, Norway, Italy, Malaysia (In Genting and Cameron Highlands), Indonesia (In Semeru Mountain), Germany, Spain (Ordesa National Park), Poland and Slovakia (Tatra National Park), Slovenia (in Gorizia and Gradisca since 1896, in Carniola since 1898), Austria (since 1886) and Romania (since 1933).
Edelweiss is dried and used for decoration since retained its beauty for a long time. Can be grown in pots. Bees love it because honey color, although it rarely found. Because of the danger of extinction in Bulgaria Edelweiss is a protected species and harvesting is prohibited by law. The plant is included in «The Red Book of Bulgaria». In Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains) special conservation reserve is established «Goat Wall».
Leontopodium alpinum is grown in gardens for its interesting inflorescence and silver foliage, the plants are short lived and can be grown from seed.

Symbolic uses

— On the Austrian euro coins, a picture of Edelweiss is used on the two–euro–cent coins.
— It is the symbol of the Bulgarian Tourist Union.
— It is also the symbol of the Swiss national tourism organisation
— On the Romanian 50 Lei banknote.
— Edelweiss Society
— In Austria, Edelweiß is also a brand of beer named after the flower.
— Edelweiss is the unofficial national flower of Switzerland.
— The Edelweiss is used in the logotypes of several alpine clubs such as the German Alpine Club (Deutscher Alpenverein) or the Österreichischer Alpenverein (Austrian Alpine Club).
— In its bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics the city of Salzburg uses an Edelweiss flower as the emblem.
— Edelweiss Air, an international airline based in Switzerland, is named after the flower, which also appears in its logo.
— The song «Edelweiss», which is about the flower, is from Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1959 musical The Sound of Music, which takes place in Austria.
— «Bring me Edelweiss» is the best–known song of the music group Edelweiss.
— The Edelweiss was established 1907 as the sign of the Austrian–Hungarian alpine troops by Emperor Franz Joseph I. These original 3 Regiments wore their edelweiss on the collar of their uniform. During World War I (1915) the Edelweiss was granted to the German alpine troops, for their bravery. Today it is still the insignia of the Austrian, Polish, and German alpine troops.
— Edelweiss was a badge of Edelweiss Pirates (Edelweisspiraten) — the anti-Nazi youth groups in Third Reich. It was worn on the clothes (e.g. a blouse or a suit).
— The Edelweiss flower was the symbol of Wehrmacht and Waffen–SS Gebirgsjäger, or mountain infantry, worn as a metal pin on the left side of the mountain cap, on the band of the service dress cap, and as a patch on the right sleeve. It is still the symbol of the Mountain division in the German army today.
— The rank insignia of Swiss generals has Edelweiss signs instead of stars. A Korpskommandant for example (equivalent to a Lieutenant General in other countries) wears three Edelweiss signs on his collar instead of three stars.