Edelweiss facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Edelweiss |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Gnaphalieae
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| Genus: |
Leontopodium
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| Species: |
L. alpinum
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| Binomial name | |
| Leontopodium alpinum Cass., 1822
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Edelweiss is a well-known Europe mountain flower. The scientific name is a latinisation of the Greek leontopódion, "lion's paw."
Contents
Description
Leaves and flowers are covered with white hairs and look woolly. Each Edelweiss bloom has five to six small yellow flower heads surrounded by leaflets in a star shape. The flowers are in bloom between July and September.
Description
The plant's leaves and flowers are covered with white hairs, and appear woolly (tomentose). Flowering stalks of edelweiss can grow to a size of 3–20 centimetres (1–8 in) in the wild, or, up to 40 cm (16 in) in cultivation. Each bloom consists of five to six small yellow clustered spikelet-florets (5 mm, 0.20 in) surrounded by fuzzy white "petals" (technically, bracts) in a double-star formation. The flowers bloom between July and September.
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Early-season version with central floret-pods not yet fully developed. Specimen found in Slovakia's Tatra Mountains.
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Typical mid-season appearance. Specimen found in Italy's Bergamo Alps.
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Late season version with "fat" appearance from flowered-out central floret-pods and from longer petal-"fuzz". Specimen found in the Stubai Alps.
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Botanic illustration.
Conservation
Leontopodium nivale is considered a least concern species by the IUCN. The population of this species declined due to overcollection, but is now protected by laws, ex situ conservation and occurrence in national parks.
Cultivation
Leontopodium nivale is grown in gardens for its interesting inflorescence and silver foliage. The plants are short lived and can be grown from seed.
Chemical constituents
Compounds of different classes, such as terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, fatty acids and polyacetylenes are reported in various parts of edelweiss. Leoligin was reported as the major lignan constituent.
Symbolic uses
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In the 19th century, the edelweiss became a symbol of the rugged purity of the Alpine region and of its native inhabitants.
In Berthold Auerbach's novel Edelweiss (1861), the difficulty for an alpinist to acquire an edelweiss flower was exaggerated to the point of claiming: "the possession of one is a proof of unusual daring." This idea at the time was becoming part of the popular mythology of early alpinism. Auerbach's novel appeared in English translation in 1869, prefaced with a quote attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson,
- "There is a flower known to botanists, one of the same genus with our summer plant called 'Life-Everlasting', a Gnaphalium like that, which grows on the most inaccessible cliffs of the Tyrolese mountains, where the chamois dare hardly venture, and which the hunter, tempted by its beauty and by his love (for it is immensely valued by the Swiss maidens), climbmivas the cliffs to gather, and is sometimes found dead at the foot, with the flower in his hand. It is called by botanists the Gnaphalium leontopodium, but by the Swiss EDELWEISS, which signifies NOBLE PURITY."
- Before 1914
- in the Swiss army, the highest ranks (brigadier general and higher) have badges in the form of edelweiss flowers, where other military branch badges would have stars
- The edelweiss was established in 1907 as the sign of the Austrian-Hungarian alpine troops by Emperor Franz Joseph I. These original three 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, Romanian, and German alpine troops
- World Wars era
- The song Stelutis alpinis (Friulian for "Little edelweisses"), written by Arturo Zardini when he was an evacuee due to World War I, is now considered the unofficial anthem of Friuli
- The song Es War Ein Edelweiss was written by Herms Niel for soldiers during World War II
- The edelweiss was a badge of the Edelweiss Pirates: the anti-Nazi youth groups in the 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 brigade in the German army today
- The World War II Luftwaffe unit, Kampfgeschwader 51 (51st Bomber Wing) was known as the Edelweiss Wing
- The edelweiss is represented as the favorite flower of Adolf Hitler's, in the recording "Adolf Hitlers Lieblingsblume ist das schlichte Edelweiß" (1934), sung by Harry Steier
- After 1945
- The edelweiss flower is a common symbol worn by today's United States Army's 1st Battalion 10th Special Forces Group Airborne Soldiers. The 1-10th SFG(A) Soldiers adopted the symbol under the command of (Ret.) Col. Aaron Banks after they occupied the former Waffen SS officer school (Junkerschule) at Flint Kaserne
- A song entitled "Edelweiss" was written for Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical The Sound of Music (1959)
- Since 2002, the Austrian two cent coin has depicted an edelweiss
- From 1959 to 2001, the one schilling coin depicted a bunch of three flowers
- It is the symbol of the Bulgarian Tourist Union and the Bulgarian Mountain Control and Lifeguard Service
- It is also the symbol of the Swiss national tourism organisation
- It is featured on the Romanian fifty lei note
- An Austrian brand of beer is named Edelweiß
- 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).
- In Asterix in Switzerland (1970), the plot is driven by a quest to find edelweiss in the Swiss mountains and bring a bloom back to Gaul to cure a poisoned Roman quaestor
- Edelweiss Air, an international airline based in Switzerland, is named after the flower, which also appears in its logo
- "Bring me Edelweiss" is the best-known song of the music group Edelweiss
- Polish professional ice hockey team MMKS Podhale Nowy Targ use an edelweiss as their emblem
- Edelweiss Lodge and Resort is a military resort located in Garmisch, Germany
Symbolic use-image gallery
- Some symbolic use from ancient times to the present
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World War One-era nail-fundraiser monument: the Iron Edelweiss of Enns, Austria.
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1963 German mountain sport pin.
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German Alpine Club logo pin.
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On a Romanian fifty lei note.
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Logo of the Union of International Mountain Leader Associations.
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Logo of Croatian Mountain Rescue Service
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Aircraft livery of Edelweiss Air.
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Nazi-era photo with KG 51 insignia on a Ju 88 bomber.
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French mountain troops school emblem.
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Logo of German sports association RMSV.
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Rank insignia in the Swiss postal service.
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German Federal Police rank insignia patch.
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Kyrgyz postage stamp from 1994.
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West German postage stamp from 1975.
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On 2004 Swiss coin.
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On 1925 gold 100 Swiss francs coin.
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On 1983 Austrian schilling.
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Kazakhstan 500 tenge coin.
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Four-"Star" rank insignia of the top Swiss general.
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Austrian army JgB 23 emblem.
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Insignia of the Polish Army Podhale Rifles.
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Russian military 17 ОСН "Edelweiss" emblem.
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Austrian army JgB 6 emblem.
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Arms of Au, Austria.
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Arms of the county of Brașov, Romania.
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Arms of Dramsha, Bulgaria.
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Arms of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France.
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Arms of Eisenärzt, Germany.
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Logo of Edelweiss Beer.
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General's "star" on the saddle of World War I-era Swiss commander Ulrich Wille.
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On the hat and collar circa 1933 of Austria's Engelbert Dollfuss.
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Imperial Roman tombstone of Austrian soldier Marius son of Ructinus.
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Images for kids
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Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth
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Austro-Hungarian alpine troops with the edelweiss on their uniform
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Kaiserjäger - Sergeant (Oberjäger)
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Several edelweiss together with the typical growth form in the Zillertal Alps in South Tyrol.
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See also
In Spanish: Flor de las nieves para niños
