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August 7, 2008 : Leontopodium alpinum
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Plant Family / Families: Asteraceae
Scientific Name and Author: Leontopodium alpinum Cass.
Name Location: Alps of Switzerland
Many thanks to CherriesWalks of the UBC Botanical Garden Forums for sharing today's photograph. If I recall correctly, it's the first photograph from Switzerland. The original was posted in this thread on the garden's photos & art forums. Much appreciated!
Leontopodium, broken down, means "lion's paw", but I don't think this is ever used as the common name. Instead, the German name for the plant is used -- edel, meaning "noble" and weiß, meaning "white" -- hence, edelweiss.
As is well-known, this is a species of alpine areas in south central and southeastern Europe. Overharvesting for use as a dried flower, plus its symbolic value, has led to it becoming a protected plant in many countries in the area.
Wikimedia Commons has an excellent set of additional images of Leontopodium alpinum, including an 1885 illustration.
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at August 7, 2008 1:30 PM
Read recent comments on all BPotD Entries
Comments
Posted by: elizabeth a airhart at August 7, 2008 2:53 PM
Thanks for the photo, and the links, for this lovely little flower. And thanks, Elizabeth, for providing the song.
My German relatives are very fond of this flower, and I grew up hearing my mother sing this song (in German). Consequently, I've always had a latent curiosity about the edelweiss, which I now have the opportunity to indulge and satisfy!
Posted by: Mary Ann, in Toronto at August 7, 2008 5:36 PM
What a treat to get this BPotD. I grew up singing along with the Sound of Music, but never gave the plant another thought. I never dreamed it was in the Aster family. Thanks.
Posted by: Deborah Lievens at August 8, 2008 5:25 AM
Are those fuzzy white structures bracts or ray flowers or ?
Posted by: Meghan S at August 8, 2008 9:16 AM
They're bracts, surrounding a set of (in this instance) 7 capitula [flowerheads].
Posted by: Michael F at August 8, 2008 1:20 PM
I love this flower so. Being of German decent, it was naturally my first choice for a symbolic tattoo.
Posted by: heidi at August 9, 2008 11:47 AM
It would be a good language lesson for the rest of us to read the song in the original. You cant appreciate the rhyme except in it.
Even more fun would be the musical notation but I doubt the program would permit the graphic.
Now would one want a simulacrum of the odour of flowers which is a major part of their charm. Ozena is quite an unpleasant experience and mostly untreatable like floriphilia or florimania.
Posted by: Alexander Jablanczy at August 15, 2008 1:02 AM
Please share your comments about the photograph(s) and accompanying write-up. Telling a story about the subject of the photograph(s) is also much appreciated! If you have a gardening question, the best place to ask is on the UBC Botanical Garden Forums. Thank you!
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edelweiss, edelweiss
every morning you greet me
small and white
clean and bright
you look happy to meet me
blossom of snow
may you bloom and grow
bloom and grow forever.
edelweiss, edelweiss