Leontopodium alpinum

"Edelweiss" redirects here. For other uses, see Edelweiss (disambiguation).

Edelweiss
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Tribe:	Gnaphalieae
Genus:	Leontopodium
Species:	L. alpinum
Binomial name
Leontopodium alpinum Cass., 1822

Established 1907 by the Austrian-Hungarian Army for their alpine troops, the sign was used in World War II by the Wehrmacht Gebirgsjäger—here as Edelweiss cap badge.

Illustration.

Edelweiss ⁱ/ˈeɪdəlvaɪs/, Leontopodium alpinum, is a well-known European mountain flower, belonging to the sunflower family.

Names

The common name comes from German edel, meaning "noble", and weiß (also spelled weiss) "white", thus signifying "noble whiteness".

The scientific name Leontopodium is a Latin adaptation of Greek leontopódion (λεοντοπόδιον) "lion's paw", from léōn "lion" and pódion "foot" (diminutive of poús, podós "foot").

The Romanian name, floarea reginei, means "Queen's flower". Also, another common name is floare de colţ which means "mountain flower".

The Persian name is gol-e-yax, which translates as "ice flower"

Description

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 bloom consisting of five to six small yellow flower heads (5 mm) surrounded by bracts in star formation. The flowers are in bloom between July and September.

Range

The plant is unequally distributed and prefers rocky limestone places at 2000–2900 m altitude. 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 adaptation to high altitudes, protecting the plant from cold, aridity and ultraviolet radiation.

Since it usually grows in inaccessible places, it is associated in many countries of the alpine region with mountaineering.

Protection

Edelweiss is a protected plant in many countries, including Mongolia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Switzerland (since 1878), France, Norway, Iran, India (Zanskar region), Italy, Serbia, 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).

Cultivation

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.
• 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 Deutscher Alpenverein (German Alpine Club) or the Österreichischer Alpenverein (Austrian Alpine Club). The Edelweiss is also used in the logotype of the Union of International Mountain Leader Associations (UIMLA).
• 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 Salzburg, Austria before World War II.
• "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 rangers, 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 World War II Luftwaffe unit, Kampfgeschwader 51 (51st Bomber Wing) was known as the Edelweiss Wing.
• The rank insignia of Swiss generals use eight-pointed stars representing the flower. A Korpskommandant for example (equivalent to a Lieutenant General in other countries) wears three Edelweiss stars on his collar.
• Polish professional ice hockey team MMKS Podhale Nowy Targ use an Edelweiss as their emblem.
• The Edelweiss is represented as the favorite flower of Adolf Hitler, in the 1934 recording "Adolf Hitlers Lieblingsblume ist das schlichte Edelweiß", sung by Harry Steier.

See also

• Alps