Colours and shapes
The Edelweiss, scientific name Leontopodium, is a small white, star-shaped flower with felt-like leaves, belonging to the daisy family Asteraceae. As is to be expected with its naturally mountainous habitat, the plant is a hardy perennial. It flowers from June to August.
Symbolism
The Edelweiss is the main symbol of the Alps, the mountain range in central Europe. In the 19th century it was adopted as the symbol of several mountaineering clubs, whose members would compete to pick the flower, since it grew in hard-to-reach places. Nowadays, the edelweiss features on the Austrian 2-cent euro coin — a little coin for a tiny flower.
Origin
The Alps are not the only place where this plant grows. In the high mountains of Asia, they've celebrated the small flowers for centuries. Traditionally, it was used as a medicine for stomach complaints and respiratory diseases, but the plant grew so popular that it almost became extinct from over-picking. Today, wild edelweiss has protected status in the Alps, but you can buy a cultivated variety to enjoy at home.
