Edelweiss
Edelweiss (
Leontopodium alpinum) is one of the best known
European mountain flowers. The name comes from
German edel (meaning
noble) and
weiß (meaning
white).
Description
- The flower can grow to a size of 3 - 20 cm.
- The leaf is felted and woolly with white hairs.
- The flowers are felted and woolly with white hairs, with characteristic bloom consisting of 5 - 6 small yellow flowerheads (0.5 cm) surrounded by leaflets in star form.
- The flowers are in bloom between July and September.
- Edelweiss can be found on rocky lawns, limestone rocks, meadows (more rarely), it is unequally distributed and prefers rocky limestone places at 2000 - 2900 m altitude.
- Originating in Asia, Edelweiss can be found at high mountains in Europe, Asia, and South America, in the Pyrenees, Alps and Carpathian Mountains.
- It is not toxic.
- Edelweiss is a protected plant in Switzerland, where it is considered a symbol of purity.
The famous song from The Sound of Music was named after this flower; the great popularity of the song led to the mistaken belief that it is the national anthem of Austria (much like the popular song "Waltzing Matilda" is widely incorrectly believed to be the national anthem of Australia).
On the Austrian euro coins, a picture of Edelweiss is used on the two euro cent coins. In Austria, Edelweiss is also a brand of beer named after the flower.
The edelweiss is the national flower of Switzerland. Edelweiss Air AG, an international airline based in switzerland, is named after the flower, which also appears in its logo.
There is an Austrian band named Edelweiss.