Facts

Leontopodium alpinum is a very unique plant with a vast and lively history. Posted below are a few interesting facts about this plant for you to enjoy!

  • Edelweiss is the national flower of both Austria and Switerland, and its under great protection there.
  • There are legal penalties for picking Edelweiss in certain countries and regions of the world because of its rarity.
  • Leontopodium alpinum also goes by the name "Silver Star" because of its shape, color, and arrangement.
  • Edelweiss is a very rare plant and is being cultivated at lower elevations in recent years to prevent it from extinction.
  • Edelweiss has powerful anti-aging capabilities and is full of antioxidants.
  • Edelweiss has often been depicted as a token of love, and in one singe year, at least fifty men died trying to retreive it from the wild in Austria. The particular year is unknown.
  • One factor contributing to the decline of Leontopodium alpinum is pollution.
  • The flower can be seen in many paintings and has been commonly found in the emblems of royal and noble persons.
  • A common misconception, the song of the same name was written for the Broadway musical and film The Sound of Music, and is not a popular folk song of Austria that has long been in existence.
  • Edelweiss lends its name to a popular beer brand in Austria.

Edelweiss in the wild. (Courtesy of Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy)

 

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Here is a video of the "Edelweiss" performance by Christopher Plummer from Rodger's and Hammerstien's popular film The Sound of Music.

While some of these facts were common knowledge, I certainly did not know all of this myself! Please see funtrivia.com for these and several more interesting facts.

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This webpage was written by Lizzy Wlodyga