home · Installation · Alpine edelweiss flower: types, growing from seeds, Leontopodium photo in nature. Flowers on the mountain peaks of the Caucasus mountains When edelweiss blooms in the Caucasus

Alpine edelweiss flower: types, growing from seeds, Leontopodium photo in nature. Flowers on the mountain peaks of the Caucasus mountains When edelweiss blooms in the Caucasus

Edelweiss is nondescript mountain flower, but as a symbol of purity, courage and endurance, it is surrounded by numerous legends. He “climbs” into the mountains and feels great at an altitude of more than 5 kilometers. Many lovers died trying to get it for their chosen one. To reject the young man who gave this flower was considered the height of indecency. This “climber” is found only in Eurasia; its different species live in the mountains of Europe, South-East Asia, Japan and Russia - in the mountains of Siberia and the Far East. It does not grow in the Caucasus and Western Asia. On Elbrus, Kazbek and in the Crimea, the Bieberstein flower is found, which is often confused with edelweiss.

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    General characteristics of the genus Leontopodium

    The genus Edelweiss includes more than 30 species of perennials. herbaceous plants family Asteraceae. Its description always begins with inflorescences - these are baskets, often twisted into balls or forming semi-umbrellas, less often single, white or yellow. They are surrounded by bracts covered with tomentose pubescence. The inflorescences and bracts together almost always form a “star” shape. Edelweiss has flowers of four genera:

    • sterile staminate, or bisexual - with a five-lobed tubular-funnel-shaped corolla, stamens and a solid apical villous pistil with an aborted ovary and club-shaped swollen pappus bristles;
    • pistillate - fertile, with a thread-like or narrow-tubular 3-4 incised corolla, without stamens, with a style without villi and a honey gland at the base, but with a deeply bipartite stigma and non-thickened tuft bristles;
    • bisexual - fertile, with a tubular-funnel-shaped corolla, with developed stamens, a villous pistil at the apex with a bipartite stigma and a honey gland at the base, with unthickened or slightly thickened pappus bristles;
    • asexual honey-bearing plants - with a tubular-funnel-shaped 4-5-lobed corolla, aborted anthers and ovary, with a solid style without villi and stigma and a highly developed honey gland.

    Usually the central flowers in the basket are staminate, and the few peripheral ones are pistillate. Bisexual and honey-bearing types are rare. It blooms in July-August and produces a fruit - an achene - in September. Sometimes plants are without a stem, but with tufts or rosettes of leaves, more often with a normal stem and simple vaginal or semi-petiolate leaves alternately located on it. The shape of the plates can be oblong-obovate, spatulate or linear. They are more hairy below than above. Edelweiss is fixed in the substrate with the help of a rhizome, from which thin hair-like roots and shoots extend.

    Alpine edelweiss (lat. L. alpinum Colm)

    Herbaceous perennial, symbol of the Alps and national flower Switzerland. In the wild it grows in alpine and subalpine steppe regions European mountains to an altitude of 3400 m. Under optimal weather conditions, it blooms from late July to mid-August. A plant with snow-white, thick tomentose-pubescent apical leaves on top, forming a regular multi-rayed “star” 2-3.5 cm in diameter. Their tips are dark brown. The flowers consist of thick-tomented, single-colored bracts, wide at the base and narrowed at the end. More often they are collected in an inflorescence, less often solitary.

    A white-haired simple stem from 3 to 15 cm tall with 5-8 leaves forms single, less often tufted sods from flowering stems and a few rosettes of leaves. The leaves are tongue-shaped or spatulate-lanceolate, green above, glabrous or cobwebby-pubescent, densely white-tomentose below.

    This is a rare protected species and is successfully cultivated for commercial sale in Southern Finland and Switzerland. Edelweiss often decorates rock gardens and alpine slides and keeps well in dry bouquets. The flower is used in folk medicine. Tinctures and decoctions from it are used as a sedative, antirheumatic, expectorant, astringent, tonic, and rejuvenating agent.

    In culture, it is propagated vegetatively by parts of the rhizome in order to avoid loss of characteristics of the variety and species. It is planted in spring or autumn. Seeds are sown in spring in room conditions and grow like this until autumn. Edelweiss can grow well in one place for no more than three years. Then it needs to be transferred to new areas with suitable soil.

    E. Palibina (lat. L. palibinianum)

    A species close to alpine edelweiss grows in the mountains of Siberia, the Far East, Korea, Manchuria, and Mongolia. His bushes bigger size, 25-35 cm in height, with 1-5-sided straight strong stems, but the flowers are somewhat smaller (5-6 cm in diameter). Stems with ash-cobwebby pubescence, a bare purple base and a greenish-felt covering near the inflorescences. There are many leaves, up to 20 pieces, some of them are stem, lanceolate or broadly ovate, sharp, with a hydathode (stomata for the release of moisture droplets by plants) at the apex, the lower ones narrowed into a sheath. There are also basal leaves that dry out by the time of flowering. In addition, the plant has sterile lanceolate-elliptical shoots.

    There are 5-10 bracts, 5-6 of which are larger, they are blunt, up to 3 cm in length, thick white-tomentose on top, forming a 5-rayed almost regular “star”. The flowers in the inflorescence are only staminate or bisexual, tubular-bell-shaped or only pistillate narrow-tube. In bisexual species, the bristles of the pappus are club-shaped and thickened at the end. It blooms from June to September on soil poor in organic matter; on a fertile substrate its leaves develop well, but not its flowers. In spring or late summer it is propagated by dividing the rhizome, and its seeds also germinate well.

    E. multi-colored (lat. L. discolor Beauverd)

    The species is distributed in Japan, Korea, Russia and the Far East. Grows on damp rocky and sandy slopes, in outcrops, on chars among dwarf cedar. Its rhizome is branching, with numerous thin woody shoots topped with rosettes of leaves, forming a large loose turf. The stems are slightly grained, at the beginning cobwebby-tomentose, in the lower half woody and devoid of pubescence, red-brown with 8-20 leaves. Lanceolate and linear-lanceolate leaves up to 5 cm long and 3-5 mm wide, pointed and acute with a hydathode at the apex. The upper ones are almost sessile, the lower ones are narrowed into a semi-encompassing vagina. The leaves are sharply two-colored - green, bare or gray-cobwebby on top, turning black when dry, and white-tomentose underneath.

    The leaves of the sterile shoots are basal on thin petioles, lanceolate, dying early - 13 cm long and 10 mm wide. Inflorescences of 3-10 baskets, often branched and then the baskets are often large, solitary. The bracts of the heads are numerous (9-12), ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate with sharp edges, thin-white-tomentose above, greenish-tomentose below with a clearly visible white vein. After drying, they become whitish-green, forming a well-defined star from 2 to 3.5 cm in diameter. The baskets are tightly twisted, with a lanceolate involucre, with a sharp, often torn dark brown tip. The inflorescence is tetrogamous: the inner flowers are bisexual, sterile, the outer flowers are pistillate, fertile, with a white tuft.

    E. kurilsky (lat. L. kurilense Takeda)

    It is found in Russia near the city of Anadyr in Chukotka, on the Kamchatka Peninsula, in the basin of the Bureya and Zeya rivers, on the Dzhugdzhur ridge, on the Shikotan and Kuril islands. It grows on rocky slopes and in mountain tundras, on rock ledges.

    A plant with a branching or prostrate woody rhizome 2-3 cm long with filamentous roots, forming numerous tufts of sterile rosettes of leaves and a few stems. One plant can have from 4 to 10 stems with a height of 5 to 20 cm, bald or gray-web-like, sometimes by the end of the growing season they lose pubescence and become brownish with glandular thickenings at the bases of the hairs. They have 3-10 sharp or pointed narrow-lanceolate leaves with a hydathode at the apex, 1-2 cm long and 2-5 mm wide.

    Their linear leaves are oblong or scapular, obtuse and rounded at the apex, sessile and almost stem-embracing. The basal ones are obovate, oblong, longer and wider, narrowed into a petiole, loosely cobwebby-gray on top. In plants of damp and shady habitats they are cobwebby. But they always darken when dry, with light white or ash-felt underneath. Sometimes, especially stem ones, are gray-tomentose, like the stem.

    Bracts, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate leaves with a sharp or blunt end are shorter than the upper stem leaves, there can be from 4 to 11. On top they are shaggy-white tomentose or slightly yellowish, but often they do not differ in color from the upper stem leaves. They form a “star” from 1 to 5 cm in diameter. The baskets (from 3 to 10) are tightly twisted, single, yellowish when flowering from protruding corollas, 10 mm in diameter, their involucres are lanceolate, loosely felted on the back with dark brown, sharp and ragged tops. The baskets are bisexual (with staminate and pistillate flowers) or unisexual (flowers of different sexes on different baskets), existing on the same plant. In mixed baskets, numerous inner flowers are bisexual, and the few outer ones are pistillate, with slightly yellowish pappus hairs up to 4 mm long with thickened tips.

    E. edelweiss (lat. L. leontopodoides)

    Grows in Mongolia, Northern China, Korea, the Far East and Eastern Siberia of Russia. It is found in steppes, dry meadows, sandy coasts, on stony and rocky slopes, on coastal cliffs, clearings of pine forests, etc. Its shortened woody rhizome produces numerous flowering and sterile stems. But it does not form sterile rosettes of leaves. All shoots of one plant form a small, dense turf.

    The stems of Edelweiss edelweiss are straight and strong, somewhat woody in the lower part, from 10 to 40 cm tall, with gray-silky or ash-villous, sometimes ragged pubescence. They contain up to 30 alternate leaves. Erect, linear, linear-lanceolate or narrow-lanceolate leaves, sometimes pressed to the stem, from 1.5 to 4.5 cm long and 2-5 mm wide. Acute, with a large hydathode at the apex, sessile, often curled along the edge, with a protruding vein below, equally densely pubescent on all sides. Or ashy, greenish on top or almost equally colored on both sides. There are also leaves with yellow reverse.

    The inflorescence is poor, consisting of 3-4 tightly twisted large baskets, 7-10 mm in diameter, single or collected in a corymb. There are from 1 to 4 bracts, they are almost indistinguishable from the upper stem leaves, linear or narrow-lanceolate, erect, and do not form a “star”. The sepals are lanceolate, light pubescent on the outside with a sharp light brown or colorless tip. The plants are dioecious with dioecious flowers; less often, the baskets contain both female and male types flowers.

    E. short-rayed (lat. L. brachyactis)

    The habitats of this species are the Himalayas, Tibet, Pamir and Altai. It grows on rocky slopes from 1800 to 3600 m above sea level. This xerophilous Western Himalayan mountain species was found in Russia in a limited area, on the northern slope of the Altai Range. It is well distinguished by yellowish and thick spatulate leaves with a clear midrib, a bare thin woody stolon and uniform light ash pubescence on all parts of the plant.

    The rhizome is short, forms small tufts with a mass of dense, sterile leaf rosettes, and produces straight woody trunks up to 10 cm long. Numerous trunks are white-felt, dark brown, balding below, well leafy at the beginning of growth, later bare. Stem leaves are oblong-spatulate or oblong-obovate, 1.5-2.5 cm long and 2.5-4.5 mm wide, obtuse, sometimes pointed with a hydathode at the apex. The basal ones are broadly or roundly spatulate, 1.5 cm long and 5.5 mm wide with a vein clearly protruding from above.

    8-12 bracts oblong or linear-pointed leaves are indistinguishable in color from the stem leaves. But they are more pubescent and are 2 times larger than the inflorescences, forming a “star”. The plant has from 3 to 5 tightly twisted baskets up to 6-8 mm in diameter. The sepals are lanceolate, about 5 mm in length, white-tomentose along the back with a sharp, often torn apex, light and dark brown in color. The inflorescences contain either male or female flowers, or only one of these species, being dioecious. Corolla – 2.5-3 mm long.

    E. low-growing (lat. L. nanum (Hook. f. & Thomson) Hand.-Mazz)

    Lives in Tibet, the Pamirs and Altai. Prefers high-altitude coastal meadows and gravelly and clayey slopes from 3500 to 4800 m above sea level. The rhizome is short, up to 2 cm long, forms tufts of sterile leaf rosettes and 1-5 creeping and branching brown scaly stolons up to 10 cm long. Single trunks (1-5) up to 5 cm tall with 3-7 alternate purple leaves, covered with thick light gray felt. These leaves may be completely undeveloped, then the rosettes together with the sessile heads do not exceed 1.5-2 cm in height. The leaves are oblong or spatulate, the basal leaves are up to 2 cm long and 5 mm wide, the stem leaves are erect, up to 1.5 cm long, narrower, equally pubescent on both sides.

    The bracts do not differ from the stem petals, do not exceed the head, are often shorter than it and do not form a “star”. The inflorescence head is very dense, up to 15 mm in diameter, consists of 3-5 baskets, most often single large baskets. The sepals are pointed at the apex, membranous, lanceolate, about 6 mm long, brown to almost black, often green along the back. The baskets are unisexual - dioecious or heterogamous, flowers with very long white tufts. The crests greatly outweigh the corollas and form a very prominent white “cap”.

    This flower is easy to cultivate. In order to grow edelweiss in a rock garden or just in a garden, you need nutrients soil mixed with clastics rocks and brightly lit areas. It requires extremely moderate watering and only during extremely dry periods. It reproduces without problems by parts of the rhizome. By introducing this plant into cultivation and increasing its numbers, people help it survive on Earth.

    Gentle alpine flower edelweiss, at first glance, is simple. But taking a closer look at it, you can see the tenderness and charm of this rarely seen little flower, which is often called the "silver star".

    Edelweiss flower legend

    This beauty is included in the list of plants in the Red Book of Russia. The plant is threatened with complete extinction, because this moment its numbers in nature have decreased significantly.

    edelweiss flower photo in the wild

    The Swiss consider it a symbol of the country. But, unfortunately, the flower is now extremely rare in Switzerland. The government even passed a law prohibiting the collection of edelweiss in order to protect it from tourists and preserve it in natural conditions.

    Where does it grow? It grows in the rocks of Tibet, the Himalayas, the Carpathians and the Far East. What does an edelweiss flower look like? It looks like a small silver star or pearl. It's grassy perennial 15-30 cm in height, and grows to a width of about 20 cm. The outer area of ​​the leaf blades is painted bright green, and the bottom is covered with small white fibers that protect the foliage from frost.

    The plant received another name - Leontopodium (lion's foot) for its flowers, which are shaped like lion's paws. The inflorescences are complex, the bracts are in the form of white rays, up to 10 cm in diameter. In the center are yellowish inflorescences, soft and slightly fluffy to the touch. Flowering begins in late summer and lasts a month until autumn. In place of the flowers, cylindrical boxes with small seeds ripen.

    Translated from German, the name means “noble white”. The French call it the Alpine star. In Switzerland he is known as the “Queen of the Alps”. And all over the world this plant symbolizes love, devotion and courage.

    Edelweiss: a legend about a flower

    If you look at it objectively, then this modest flower It’s not at all surprising in its beauty compared to other plants. But it amazes with its mystery. Long ago, men even risked their lives to bring mountain edelweiss for their lovers; this was a symbol of courage and courage. This flower is surrounded by many legends and myths.

    One legend tells of an unusually strong feeling between two lovers who faced eternal separation. But they chose to jump off the cliff together. And then, in that place, edelweiss trees grew on the stones, as a sign of triumph and sadness.

    There is also a more fantastic legend, it tells about mythical beauties with long nails who live on high steep cliffs. They grow edelweiss, care for it and protect it from people. The brave men who steal their flowers are thrown into the abyss by the beauties. Only people with real and sincere feelings are allowed to take the star with them.

    Having become acquainted with the legends about the “silver star”, you understand why many want to conquer this mountain flower and grow it on their farm.

    Types of edelweiss

    In total, a little more than 40 species are known to science, and only a few of them are cultivated.

    Growing edelweiss: characteristic features

    It won't be difficult. But know this Never plant next to gladioli, roses, peonies, because the flower is not visible against their background.

    Alpine slides are often decorated with edelweiss. Indeed, among the stones that are an obligatory attribute of such landscape compositions, he feels at home.

    What soil is suitable

    Leontopodium needs sunlight, you must select right place for landing. Suitable for growing on dry, light calcareous soils. To bring the conditions closer to natural, it is advisable to add coarse sand or crushed stone to the soil before planting.

    • A peculiarity of the garden “Queen of the Alps” is the negative perception of nutritious soil. Why can a plant say goodbye to its decorativeness? It tolerates poor soils and crevices between stones much better.
    • It is strictly prohibited to use mineral or organic fertilizers, especially the application of fresh manure.
    • And it is preferable to minimize root loosening of the soil.
    • It is also important to avoid stagnation of moisture in the soil. This will be facilitated by the addition of drainage crushed stone and sand during planting.

    Care: transplanting, weeding, wintering

    It is necessary to regularly change the planting site of edelweiss every 2-3 years to maintain its decorative qualities.

    Creeping plants will be bad neighbors, because the growth of its roots is suppressed by the strong and persistent root system of creeping plants, until the complete death of the Queen of the Alps.

    Therefore, it is necessary to promptly control weeds on the site and planted mountain pets

    Although Leontopodium is quite frost-resistant, before the cold weather arrives, the bushes are often mulched using wood material or peat.

    Mulch helps maintain the integrity of the snow cover over dormant plants, protecting them from freezing.

    Reproduction methods

    In nature, the plant reproduces freely by seeds; they are similar to dandelions and are transported by winds over long distances, because this is the so-called flower with parachute seeds. You can also propagate by dividing bushes that have already taken root and grown well.

    Alpine edelweiss growing from seeds

    On personal plots it is more convenient to propagate a flower using ready seedlings, or grow it yourself from seeds in advance.

    To do this, from February to March, the seeds are evenly distributed over the surface of the soil, which consists of 2 parts of deciduous soil and 1 part of sand. Until the first shoots appear, the containers are kept under a greenhouse made of film or glass.

    Seedling growth occurs at a slow pace. By the end of April, beginning of May, the seedlings are ready to be transplanted into open ground.

    Flowering of edelweiss should be expected within a year.

    In spring and autumn, you can divide the bushes, thus propagating the flower. This must be done carefully to avoid damage. After all root systems individual plants are closely intertwined.

    Beneficial features

    Plant components from silver star are widely used for the preparation of cosmetics. The extract from the shoots of the plant is credited with a wide range of beneficial qualities.

    Under natural conditions, edelweiss grows in the mountains at an altitude of 1.8 km from sea level. The flowering period of this unusual beautiful flower falls on June-August. At this time, edelweiss seems even more beautiful, and the meager vegetable world the mountains only emphasize its splendor. But now, thanks to the painstaking work of breeders, you don’t need to go to the mountains to admire these magnificent flowers. They got along well in garden plots, it will be enough to create conditions close to natural.

    Description of the plant

    Edelweiss flowers are very delicate, but at the same time they are distinguished by their endurance. They tolerate permafrost climate well, so they feel comfortable in stone gardens middle zone. The only thing the plant cannot tolerate is heat.

    Reproduction methods

    The crop can be propagated in 3 ways: cuttings, seeds and dividing the root system. The tops of the shoots are used as cuttings, which take root well in the soil. Cuttings are carried out in May or June. Plants quickly take root and are already next year You can expect new representatives to bloom.

    The plant is also easy to propagate by seeds. To do this, you need to use your last year's seeds. If these are not available, you need to purchase them at a specialized garden store.

    To plant seeds, you will need a wooden or plastic box, as well as a nutritious soil mixture. You can prepare it yourself.

    Soil mixture for edelweiss:

    Before sowing seeds, they must be prepared in advance. For this planting material mixed with wet soil and place in the refrigerator for 3 weeks. After their expiration, the seeds are sown in a prepared box and covered with film or glass in order to create a suitable microclimate for the germination of planting material.

    Clematis: plant description, planting and flower care

    The optimal temperature for germination is +13−15 degrees. Within 2-3 weeks the first shoots should appear. After their appearance, the seedlings should be freed from film or glass. Seedlings grow very slowly. When they reach 2 cm, they are planted in separate containers for growing.

    You can propagate a flower by dividing the root system. This procedure is recommended to be carried out in the spring. A group of plants must be dug up and carefully divided so that each new plant contains a fragment of the root system. Then plant the plant at intervals of 20 cm.

    It is necessary to transplant seedlings into open ground at a time when there is danger spring frosts passed. You can sow planting material directly into open ground. In this case, it is necessary to sow the seeds in a previously prepared place in early spring.

    Growing conditions in the garden

    Where edelweiss grows, the soil is rocky and loose, so the plant needs to create similar conditions in the garden. The soil should contain a sufficient amount of coarse river sand and small pebbles, thanks to which it will allow moisture to pass through perfectly.

    The ideal option would be calcareous soil. But a flower in nature is not spoiled by fertile lands, so it can grow well in any neutral soil. The plant absolutely does not tolerate stagnation of moisture. It is for this reason that the flower cannot be planted in depressions and lowlands. He also does not like drought.

    It is important to know that edelweiss does not require organic fertilizers; moreover, they can even harm its health. In spring, the plant should be fed with complex mineral fertilizers. Loosening should be done very rarely.

    I bring to your attention amazing photographs of the Caucasus Mountains and its surroundings from the perspective of an eyewitness and a person who conquered these peaks. Moreover, he has a special passion for climbing and overcoming himself. Behind his difficult achievements, Mikhail Golubev was able to talk about the beauty of mountain peaks and dangerous glaciers, about flowering foothills and indescribable rainbows, about fogs and clouds, about mountain lakes and rivers, seething waterfalls and streams. About the animal world and the unusually touching flowers that grow in the heights and valleys. All photographs are from different periods and years. Moreover, the author took wonderful panoramic shots and was able to convey his attitude and love for the mountains. Photographs and descriptions of them, by the author himself.

    Elbrus and rhododendrons.

    Summer day in the Elbrus region.

    In the Caucasus Mountains, the first half of July, the altitude is about 3300 m. At this time, at this altitude, summer is still unstable and snowfalls may occur. The photo shows a flower that has melted in the warm sun.

    Bells in the area of ​​the Kogutai glacier in the Elbrus region.
    August 2004.

    Dombay


    The peaks of Bezengi are in the distance. Central Caucasus.

    In the mountains of Ossetia

    In the distance is the peak of Bolshoy Kogutai, view from the north. Elbrus region, summer 2006.

    In the heart of the Caucasus Mountains.

    Mountain river

    A stream in the left pocket of the moraine of the Terskol glacier. Elbrus region, July 2005.

    Mountain trekking class 2 along Gvandra-Uzunkol (KChR, Caucasus) in July-August 2007.

    A vast meadow in the upper reaches of the Burnaya River. To the left is the Dorbun pass, to the right are the Poachers and Vorontsov-Velyaminov passes, which is where we are going.

    Mountain trekking class 3 according to Western Caucasus in July 2012

    Rynji Lake

    Zaramag glacier in the distance, North Ossetia, August 2011.

    Traveling through the mountains of Svaneti (Georgia) in the summer of 2012. Descending along the Gulichala valley, we constantly looked back to admire the formidable, majestically two-horned beauty peak Ushba (4710 m).

    Yellow violets. Caucasus Mountains, height about 3300 m.

    Mountain trekking class 3 according to Western Caucasus in July 2012. In the distance is the peak of Sulahat from the west.

    Floral Elbrus region

    Elbrus region, summer 2006.
    View of Elbrus from under the Kogutai peak.

    Mountain trekking class 3 according to Western Caucasus (KCR) in the Aksaut-Dombay region in July 2012.

    In the upper reaches of the Kuban.

    Peak Dzhan-Tugan (approx. 4000 m) in the upper reaches of the Adylsu valley in the Elbrus region. July 2005.


    Ullu-Muruju River. Hike 2 k.s. along Teberda-Gvandra-Uzunkol (KChR, Caucasus) in July 2007

    In the Mursala valley in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, May 2012.

    The peaks of Dzhangitau and Katyntau (both above 5000 m) in the great Bezengi wall. Below is the largest glacier in the Caucasus - Bezengisky. The height difference from the glacier to the peaks is more than 2 km: four Ostankino towers. If you stood at the base of the Ostankino Tower and looked at its top, quadruple the sensation and add huge glaciers for a more chilling sensation!
    Taken from the summit of the 50th Anniversary of KBASRR (4000 m) with a close view.
    Central Caucasus, August 2005.

    Nahar River

    In the valley of the Kurmychi River in the Elbrus region. July 2005.

    Flowers by a stream in the Mursala valley, May 2012.

    Alpine edelweiss is a herbaceous perennial plant with a pubescent branched stem and lanceolate leaves. The plant is decorative, thanks to lush flowering white or yellowish baskets, known in gardening. Edelweiss alpine has many medicinal properties. Listed in the Red Book as an endangered species.

    Ask the experts a question

    In medicine

    Alpine edelweiss is a non-pharmacopoeial plant, unknown in official medicine. Due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cleansing and regenerating properties, Alpine edelweiss has long been used in folk medicine. Edelweiss infusions and decoctions are effective for rheumatic pain, diseases of the digestive and respiratory organs, as well as cardiovascular diseases. The external use of edelweiss for skin lesions, purulent wounds, ulcers and cuts is also known.

    Contraindications and side effects

    Contraindications to the use of edelweiss are individual intolerance, a tendency to exhibit allergy symptoms, pregnancy and lactation in women, as well as early childhood.

    In gardening

    Edelweiss – decorative garden plant as culture does not require special care in cultivation. Edelweiss is planted in rock gardens, on alpine roller coaster. This light-loving plant will grow well in light, dry, calcareous soils in a sunny spot in the garden. The plant does not tolerate stagnant water. Since edelweiss is a true inhabitant of the mountains, when planting it, coarse sand or crushed stone is added to the soil. Fertile soil will not benefit the plant.

    Florists use the colorful inflorescences of edelweiss to create dry bouquets. The decorative nature of alpine edelweiss flowers in nature leads to severe extermination of the species.

    In cosmetology

    Alpine edelweiss extract is included in many modern cosmetics for face and body skin care. Since the plant has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, cosmetic products based on edelweiss do not cause allergic reactions and are intended for both adults and children. This is an excellent product for rejuvenating the skin. Edelweiss is an important component of anti-aging cosmetics creams and gels. Shampoos with edelweiss extract help get rid of dandruff, promote hair growth, and give hair health and shine. Specialists from the Swiss laboratory Septer have developed a line of natural children's cosmetics Swiss Nature Baby with Alpine edelweiss extract. Soap, cleansing milk, and foam with edelweiss are used for bathing babies, since plant saponins in the extract provide gentle skin care.

    Classification

    Alpine edelweiss (lat. Leontopodium alpinum) - herbaceous perennial, a species of the genus Edelweiss (lat. Leontopodium). The genus Edelweiss is represented by 60 species; only 10 species grow in Russia. Belongs to the Aster family (lat. Asteraceae) or Compositae (lat. Compositae). According to modern classification, Alpine Edelweiss (lat. Leontopodium alpinum) is considered a subspecies of snowy Edelweiss (lat. Leontopodium nivale).

    Botanical description

    Alpine edelweiss is a herbaceous perennial plant, 20-25 cm high. Typically, the plant, growing in high mountain regions, is covered with silvery-white hairs. The stems of edelweiss are slightly curved, branch in the upper part and form low bushes. The leaves are lanceolate and form a basal rosette.

    Alpine edelweiss flowers are collected in dense heads and basket-inflorescences. The bluish-yellow or white baskets are surrounded by leaves of star-shaped involucre. The bracts are heavily pubescent, which gives the plant a silvery tint. Edelweiss blooms in spring or early summer. The fruits are achenes. The plant reproduces by seeds.

    Spreading

    The plant is distributed in the subalpine and alpine zones, in the mountains at an altitude of about 2 thousand meters, in the most inaccessible places. Sometimes edelweiss is found much lower, but loses its white felt pubescence, so specimens growing in flat areas are less decorative. Alpine edelweiss grows in the mountains of Siberia, the Alps, the Himalayas, as well as in Mongolia, Manchuria, China, Korea, and the mountains of Japan. The species is found in the Carpathians, less often in the Caucasus. Edelweiss grows on high mountain plains, gravelly and rocky mountain slopes, and mountain steppe meadows.

    Alpine edelweiss is listed in the Red Book, since the number of the species is gradually decreasing due to the decorative nature of the plant.

    Regions of distribution on the map of Russia.

    Procurement of raw materials

    Alpine Eelweiss is listed in the Red Book, so medicinal raw materials are not prepared from it.

    Chemical composition

    Edelweiss grass contains mineral salts of calcium, potassium, magnesium, saponins, flavonoids, phenolic and chlorogenic acids, vitamin C, A, K.

    Pharmacological properties

    The photoprotective and antioxidant properties of alpine edelweiss are due to the content of mineral salts of potassium, calcium and magnesium, flavonoids, saponins, chlorogenic and phenolic acids in its composition. Due to the high amount of tannin, edelweiss grass is effective in treating sunburn, is widely used in folk medicine to treat difficult-to-heal wounds and ulcers. In cosmetology in many countries, alpine edelweiss extract is used in products (creams and gels) for skin care, providing anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antioxidant effects.

    French botanists Jean-Paul Vigneron and Virginie Lusse, photographing an edelweiss flower in the rays of the solar spectrum, discovered a unique property of the plant - it completely absorbs ultraviolet light. By studying perianths under a microscope, scientists found that mountain plants covered with small white hairs. The latter consist of parallel cellulose fibers with a thickness of 0.18 microns. This figure is very close to half the wavelength of ultraviolet light that reaches Earth. Delicate hairs absorb radiation, which can burn the leaves of a plant high in the mountains, so the hairs will perform protective function V natural environment edelweiss habitat. At the same time, a “filter” of white hairs is capable of transmitting visible light, which is simply necessary for photosynthesis. In the near future, scientific cosmetologists have great hopes for the edelweiss plant, as it is planned to develop a line of sunscreen cosmetics based on edelweiss extract from similar nanoparticles. This small plant is shrouded in many secrets. Edelweiss has long been considered a symbol of fidelity, love and courage, because long ago men, risking their lives, tried to find it amazing plant high in the mountains to your beloved.

    The edelweiss flower adorns the coat of arms of the country of Switzerland.

    The name of the genus Edelweiss comes from gr. the words “noble” and “white”, while the scientific name of the genus Leontopodium, translated from Greek, means a combination of the words “lion” and “leg”. The French call this plant “Alpine star” because of the star-shaped wrapper of the inflorescences.

    Literature

    1. Edelweiss // encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.

    2. Grubov V.I. Genus 1488. Edelweiss - Leontopodium R.Br. // Flora of the USSR: in 30 volumes / started at hand. and under chap. ed. V. L. Komarova. - M.-L. : Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1959. - T. XXV / ed. volumes B.K. Shishkin. - P. 342-360. - 630 s.