![]() Swiss farmers would burn the flowers, because they believed that the smoke would treat problems in their cow’s udders. Tea made from the flower is said to aid digestion, and to aid the healing from respiratory illnesses. On the plus side, the fuzzy stuff protects the flowers from cold and ultraviolet rays.įor years, Edelweiss has been used for its medicinal properties. Yes, the bit we see as flowers are just leaves. The actual flowers are quite teensy! It takes over 50 small flowers to create one head that is surrounded by fuzzy white leaves. ![]() In 1785, it was given the name Edelweiss or Noble White… and that’s the name that stuck. Edelweiss belongs to the same family as Sunflowers and Daisies… but those high altitudes and cold winters kept the plant small, and the flowers even smaller. It was also called Klein Löwenfuss (Little Lionfoot), which explains it’s Latin name, Leontopodium Alpinum (Alpine Lion Paws), as well as Immortelli des Alpus (Immortal Alpine). Originally known as Wollblume (wool flower), the plant was first identified by Konrad Gissner, a 16th century Naturalist. So, what is Edelweiss really? And how did it achieve mythical status? What is Edelweiss To me, Edelweiss was snow (something I really didn’t know anything about). Edelweiss is an important symbol for much of the German Speaking world, a symbol of National Pride. You see, I grew up in hot Southern California, and this little Alpine Flower was the stuff of legend! Of mountain climbers and musicals…the favorite flower of Kings and Emperors. For years that card sat on my bookshelf, and I would imagine the mysterious far-off mountain it came from. I loved pulling back the protective cover and petting the soft fuzzy petals. When I was a little girl, my Opa sent me a card that had a dried pressed edelweiss flower and a miniature hiker’s axe on it.
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