Edelweiss - Leontopodium alpinum, is one of the best-known European mountain flowers, belonging to the sunflower family. The name comes from German edel - meaning noble and weiss -meaning white. The scientific name, Leontopodium, means "lion's paw" and is derived from the Greek words leon - lion and podion - diminutive of pous, foot. Edelweiss flowers are quite rare in the wild and considered endangered in several countries.
Edelweiss are hardy perennials, alpine plants that can reach about 30 cm in height. They bloom from late spring throughout the summer and carries white stellar shaped flowers, like miniature, woolly starfish. Plants form a low clump of silvery grey foliage, lance shaped and woolly in nature. They are perfectly suitable for your rockery or border, best suited to growing in a well-drained rock garden or alpine trough that mimics their natural habitat.
Edelweiss grow naturally in limestone, so they will thrive in your garden if grown in loose soil that is rich in lime and sharply drained. Too heavy or hard soil will choke the delicate, hair-like root system of the plant. Mix up a planting medium that will contain one part lime with two parts sand as a base and then add some peat moss and cow manure. Place them in full sun or part shade. They will grow best in regions with cool summers. Even Edelweiss grow in areas with lots of snow avoid exposing the plants to excessive wet winter conditions. If you live in an area that does not get snow in the winter, mulch your plants in the fall to mimic the snow cover. Remove the mulch in early spring.
Edelweiss are reasonably easy to propagate from seeds and quite hardy if grown in conditions that suit them. They will sometimes self seed when happy. Sow seeds outdoors in the early spring, before the last frost, as a period of cold is necessary for the seeds to germinate. Sprinkle the seeds on the surface of the soil. If you are going to start Edelweiss flowers inside, do it approximately 8 weeks before they will be transplanted into your garden, after the last frost of the spring. As the seeds require a period of cold place them and some soil mixture in a black plastic bag and refrigerate them for three weeks. Germination generally takes between two and six weeks. Whether sown indoors or out, seeds must be kept moist, but not soggy, to germinate. Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle into 7.5 cm pots. Grow on in a coldframe or sheltered corner.
Propagating Edelweiss by separation can be done every two to three years once the plants have become established. Since Edelweiss have a rather short lifespan, separating them is necessary to prevent them from dying out after a few years.
