''Leontopodium nivale'', commonly called edelweiss (german: Alpen-Edelweiß, English pronunciation ), is a mountain flower belonging to the daisy or sunflower family
Asteraceae
The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...
. The plant prefers rocky limestone places at about altitude. It is non-toxic and has been used in traditional medicine as a remedy against abdominal and respiratory diseases. Its leaves and flowers are covered with dense hairs, which appear to protect the plant from cold, aridity, and ultraviolet radiation. It is a scarce, short-lived flower found in remote mountain areas and has been used as a symbol for
alpinism
Mountaineering or alpinism, is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending tall mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, an ...
, for rugged beauty and purity associated with the Alps and Carpathians. It is a national symbol, especially of Romania, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Italy. According to folk tradition, giving this flower to a loved one is a promise of dedication.
Names
The flower's common name ''Edelweiß'' is German, and is a compound of ''
edel
Edel is both a surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include:
Surname:
* Abraham Edel (1908–2007), North American philosopher and ethicist
* Alfred William Edel (c. 1930–2005), American television news presenter
* Apoula Edel ...
'' "noble" and ''
weiß'' "white". Slovenian name is ''planika'', meaning mountain girl. In Romania it is known as ''floare de colț'' which means 'cliffhanger's flower'. The flower is referred to as ''stella alpina'' in the Italian speaking Alps and ''étoile des Alpes'' in the French Alps, both names meaning 'star of the Alps'.
''Edelweiß'' was one of several regional names for the plant and achieved wide usage during the first half of the 19th century, in the context of early
Alpine tourism. Alternative names include ''Chatzen-Talpen'' ("cat's paws"), and the older ''Wullbluomen'' ("wool flower", attested in the 16th century).
The scientific name ''Leontopodium'' is a latinisation of the Greek ''leontopódion,'' "lion's paw". The Latin
specific epithet
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
''nivale'' means "white".
Taxonomy
Since 1822, ''
Leontopodium
''Leontopodium'' is a genus of plants in the family Asteraceae. The genus is native to Europe and Asia. The fuzzy and somewhat stocky "petals" (technically, bracts) could be thought of as somewhat resembling lions' paws—hence the genus nam ...
'' has no longer been considered part of the genus ''Gnaphalium'', but classified alongside it as a distinct genus within the tribe
Gnaphalieae
The Gnaphalieae are a tribe of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It is most closely related to the tribes Anthemideae, Astereae, and Calenduleae.
Characteristics
This group is most diverse in South America, Southern Africa and Australi ...
. In 2003, ''Leontopodium alpinum'' was re-classified as a subspecies of ''Leontopodium nivale''. Thus, the alpine edelweiss is currently recognized as being divided into two subspecies, ''Leontopodium nivale'' subsp. ''alpinum''
(Cass.) Greuter and ''Leontopodium nivale'' subsp. ''nivale''.
Description
The plant's leaves and flowers are covered with white hairs, and appear woolly (
tomentose
Trichomes (); ) are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists. They are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. A covering of any kind of hair on a plant ...
). Flowering stalks of edelweiss can grow to a size of in the wild, or, up to in cultivation. Each bloom consists of five to six small yellow
clustered spikelet-florets () surrounded by fuzzy white "petals" (technically,
bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...
s) in a double-star formation. The flowers bloom between July and September.
File:Leontopodium alpinum Szarotka alpejska 01.jpg, Early-season version with central floret-pods not yet fully developed. Specimen found in Poland's Tatra Mountains
The Tatra Mountains (), Tatras, or Tatra (''Tatry'' either in Slovak language, Slovak () or in Polish language, Polish () - ''plurale tantum''), are a series of mountains within the Western Carpathians that form a natural border between Slovak ...
.
File:Edelweiss in cold valley.jpg, Typical mid-season appearance. Specimen found in Italy's Bergamo Alps
The Bergamasque Alps or Bergamo Alps (Italian language, Italian: ''Alpi Orobie'', sometimes translated into English as Orobic Alps) are a mountain range in the Italy, Italian Alps. They are located in northern Lombardy and named after the city Be ...
.
File:Leontopodium alpinum 280808.jpg, Late season version with "fat" appearance from flowered-out central floret-pods and from longer petal-"fuzz". Specimen found in the Stubai Alps
The Stubai Alps (in German ''Stubaier Alpen'') is a mountain range in the Central Eastern Alps of Europe. It derives its name from the Stubaital valley to its east and is located southwest of Innsbruck, Austria. Several peaks form the border betwee ...
.
File:Gnaphalium leontopodium Atlas Alpenflora.jpg, Botanic illustration.
File:Leontopodium alpinum 070707.jpg, Several edelweiss together with the typical growth form in the Zillertal Alps in South Tyrol.
Conservation
''Leontopodium nivale'' is considered a
least concern species
A least-concern species is a species that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as evaluated as not being a focus of species conservation because the specific species is still plentiful in the wild. T ...
by the
IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
.
The population of this species declined due to overcollection, but is now protected by laws,
ex situ conservation
Svalbard GLOBAL SEED BANK, an ''ex situ'' conservation.
''Ex situ'' conservation literally means, "off-site conservation". It is the process of protecting an endangered species, variety or breed, of plant or animal outside its natural habitat; ...
and occurrence in
national park
A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...
s.
Cultivation
''Leontopodium nivale'' is grown in gardens for its interesting inflorescence and silver foliage. It grows in the end of May The plants are short lived and can be grown from seed.
Chemical constituents
Compounds of different classes, such as
terpenoid
The terpenoids, also known as isoprenoids, are a class of naturally occurring organic chemicals derived from the 5-carbon compound isoprene and its derivatives called terpenes, diterpenes, etc. While sometimes used interchangeably with "terpenes" ...
s,
phenylpropanoid
The phenylpropanoids are a diverse family of organic compounds that are synthesized by plants from the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine. Their name is derived from the six-carbon, aromatic phenyl group and the three-carbon propene tail of ...
s,
fatty acid
In chemistry, particularly in biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with an aliphatic chain, which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an unbranched chain of an even number of carbon atoms, fr ...
s and
polyacetylene
Polyacetylene (IUPAC name: polyethyne) usually refers to an organic polymer with the repeating unit . The name refers to its conceptual construction from polymerization of acetylene to give a chain with repeating olefin groups. This compound i ...
s are reported in various parts of edelweiss plants. Leoligin was reported as the major lignan constituent.
The edelweiss has been used in traditional folk medicine in the Alps for centuries. Extracts from different parts of plants have been used to treat abdominal pain, respiratory diseases, heart disease, and against diarrhea. That is why it was also known as the bellyache flower for a long time. It was also used by the mountain people as a durable flower ("eternal flower") in dry bouquets. The cosmetics industry became aware of the plant and its extracts a few years ago.
Symbolic uses
In the 19th century, the edelweiss became a symbol of the rugged purity of the
Alpine region
The main valleys of the Alps, orographically by drainage basin.
Rhine basin (North Sea)
High Rhine
*Aare
** Limmat
***Linth (Glarus)
****Lake Walen
*****Seeztal
**** Klöntal
****Sernftal
** Reuss
***Lake Lucerne
****Sarner Aa (Brünig Pass co ...
and of its native inhabitants.
The passion for edelweiss, which had previously been neglected, began in the middle of the 19th century. The focus is on an incident from 1856, when the
Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I went on a mountain hike to the Pasterzen Glacier on the Großglockner with his wife
Sisi Sissi or Sisi may refer to:
People
* Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as "Sisi" or "Sissi"; spouse of Franz Joseph I of Austria
:Works about Sissi
:* ''The King Steps Out'' (1936), light comedy directed by Josef von Sternberg
:* Sissi trilogy (f ...
. There the emperor picked his wife an edelweiss from the steep rock with the words "The first in my life that I picked myself". The affection for edelweiss was a common feature of the famous couple and this well-known story raised people's attention to this alpine plant.
The plant became known as a symbol of the Austrian Empress Elisabeth. A portrait by the painter
Franz Xaver Winterhalter
Franz Xaver Winterhalter (20 April 1805 – 8 July 1873) was a German painter and lithographer, known for his flattering portraits of royalty and upper-class society in the mid-19th century. His name has become associated with fashionable court ...
painted in 1865 shows Empress Elisabeth with nine artificial edelweiss stars braided in her hair. The jewelry made of precious metal and diamonds was designed in the years after 1850 by the then court and chamber jeweler
Alexander Emanuel Köchert.
![Austro-hungarian infantry in mountain (1915-1916)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Austro-hungarian_infantry_in_mountain_%281915-1916%29.png)
With the rise of mountain tourism at the end of the 19th century, the edelweiss became the badge and symbol of alpinists and mountaineers. In order to prevent the extinction of the often picked symbolic species, it was placed under nature protection early on. The edelweiss was soon adopted as a symbol in the logo of numerous alpine clubs and associations. In the
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army (, literally "Ground Forces of the Austro-Hungarians"; , literally "Imperial and Royal Army") was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint arm ...
in particular, the symbolic relationship between defiant, frugal and resilient alpine plants or the required perseverance, agility and cutting edge of the alpine troops was recognized and emphasized and often promoted by badges and designations. The Alpen-Edelweiss was assigned as a badge by Emperor Franz Joseph to troops (three regiments) of the Austro-Hungarian Army intended for use in the mountains. It was worn on the collar of the uniform skirt.
In
Berthold Auerbach
Berthold Auerbach (28 February 1812 – 8 February 1882) was a German-Jewish poet and author. He was the founder of the German "tendency novel", in which fiction is used as a means of influencing public opinion on social, political, moral, and r ...
's novel ''Edelweiss'' (1861), the difficulty for an alpinist to acquire an edelweiss flower was exaggerated to the point of claiming: "the possession of one is a proof of unusual daring."
This idea at the time was becoming part of the popular mythology of early
alpinism
Mountaineering or alpinism, is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending tall mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, an ...
. Auerbach's novel appeared in English translation in 1869, prefaced with a quote attributed to
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803April 27, 1882), who went by his middle name Waldo, was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, abolitionist, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. He was seen as a champ ...
:
Together with the alpine
gentian
''Gentiana'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the gentian family (Gentianaceae), the tribe Gentianeae, and the monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. With about 400 species it is considered a large genus. They are notable for their mostl ...
, the edelweiss is also a symbol of lonely peaks and pure air in the Alps today. These plants are celebrated with songs and many souvenirs related to them are sold.
Before 1914
![Oberjäger k](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Oberj%C3%A4ger_k.k._Gebrigstruppe_1907-18.png)
* The edelweiss was established in 1907 as the sign of the
Imperial-Royal Mountain Troops
The Imperial-Royal Mountain Troops (german: Kaiserlich-königliche Gebirgstruppe) were founded in 1906 as part of the Austrian Landwehr, the territorial army of the Cisleithanian half of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As a result, the abbreviation " ...
by Emperor
Franz Joseph I
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I (german: Franz Joseph Karl, hu, Ferenc József Károly, 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 2 December 1848 until his ...
. These original three Regiments wore their edelweiss on the collar of their uniform. Before 1918 there were also innumerable edelweiss badges in the Habsburg army. These include, for example, the military
mountain guide
A mountain guide is a specially trained and experienced professional mountaineer who is certified by local authorities or mountain guide associations. They are considered to be high-level experts in mountaineering, and are hired to instruct or ...
award (ice ax with edelweiss and winding mountain rope), edelweiss emblems on the collar and cap or badges from alpine patrol companies. Many alpine units, commandos and soldiers proudly wore unofficial edelweiss badges.
[Hermann Hinterstoisser: Das Edelweiß – Alpenblume mit Symbolkraft. In: Truppendienst (Austrian Army), 2012, Nr. 5/329.]
* The edelweiss also played a role in the troop designation, which also reflected the special relationship with the mountains. In addition to the "Edelweiss Corps" (
k.u.k.
The phrase Imperial and Royal (German: ''kaiserlich und königlich'', ), typically abbreviated as ''k. u. k.'', ''k. und k.'', ''k. & k.'' in German (the "und" is always spoken unabbreviated), ''cs. és k. (császári és királyi)'' in Hungari ...
XIV. Corps) of
Archduke Joseph Ferdinand, an "Edelweiss Division" was formed in the course of the First World War. It essentially consisted of
Kaiserjäger
The ''Kaiserjäger'' (officially designated by the Imperial and Royal (''k.u.k.'') military administration as the ''Tiroler Jäger-Regimenter'' or "Tyrolean Rifle Regiments"), were formed in 1895 as four normal infantry regiments within the Commo ...
of the 3rd and 4th regiments, the Salzburg infantry regiment "Archduke Rainer" No. 59 and the Upper Austrian infantry regiment "Grand Duke of Hesse and the Rhine" No. 14. In 1915,
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the edelweiss was granted to the German alpine troops for their bravery.
Today, it is still the insignia of the Austrian, French, Slovenian,
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent
* Polish chicken
*Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
,
Romanian
Romanian may refer to:
*anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania
**Romanians, an ethnic group
**Romanian language, a Romance language
***Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language
**Romanian cuisine, traditional ...
, and German alpine troops.
* In the
Swiss Army
The Swiss Armed Forces (german: Schweizer Armee, french: Armée suisse, it, Esercito svizzero, rm, Armada svizra; ) operates on land and in the air, serving as the primary armed forces of Switzerland. Under the country's militia system, re ...
, the highest ranks (brigadier general and higher) have badges in the form of edelweiss flowers, where other military branch badges would have stars.
World Wars
* The song ''
Stelutis alpinis'' (
Friulian for "alpine edelweiss"), written by
Arturo Zardini when he was an evacuee due to World War I, is now considered the unofficial anthem of
Friuli
Friuli ( fur, Friûl, sl, Furlanija, german: Friaul) is an area of Northeast Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity containing 1,000,000 Friulians. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli Venezia Giulia ...
* The soldiers of the Austro-Hungarian army named a position right next to the
Valparola Pass
The Valparola Pass ( it, Passo di Valparola) (el. 2,168 m, in Ladin : "Ju de Valparola") is a high mountain pass in the Dolomites in the province of Belluno in Italy.
The pass lies a little west of Falzarego Pass. The hut "Rifugio Passo ...
as the "Edelweiss position" during World War I.
* The song was written by
Herms Niel
Ferdinand Friedrich Hermann Nielebock (17 April 1888 – 16 July 1954),
''Munzinger'' Internationales Biographisches Ar ...
for soldiers during World War II
* The edelweiss was a badge of the
Edelweiss Pirates
The Edelweiss Pirates (german: Edelweißpiraten ) were a loosely organized group of youths opposed to the status quo of Nazi Germany. They emerged in western Germany out of the German Youth Movement of the late 1930s in response to the strict reg ...
, anti-Nazi youth groups in the
Third Reich
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
, and was worn on clothes (such as a blouse or a suit).
* The edelweiss was the symbol of Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS
Gebirgsjäger
''Gebirgsjäger'' () are the light infantry part of the alpine or mountain troops (''Gebirgstruppe'') of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The word '' Jäger'' (meaning "hunter" or "huntsman") is a characteristic term used for light infantry in ...
, or mountain rangers worn as a metal pin on the left side of the mountain cap, on the band of the service dress cap, and as a patch on the right sleeve. It is still the symbol of the mountain brigade in the
German Army
The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwaf ...
.
* The World War II Luftwaffe unit (51st Bomber Wing) was known as the Edelweiss Wing.
* Operation "Edelweiss" was a project of the US
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was the intelligence agency of the United States during World War II. The OSS was formed as an agency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to coordinate espionage activities behind enemy lines for all branc ...
to get information about Hitler's
Alpine Fortress
The Alpine Fortress (german: Alpenfestung) or Alpine Redoubt was the World War II national redoubt planned by Heinrich Himmler in November and December 1943"Himmler started laying the plans for underground warfare in the last two months of 1943 ...
in 1945.
After 1945
* The edelweiss is worn by troops in the 1st Battalion of the United States Army's
10th Special Forces Group
The 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (10th SFG (A), or 10th Group) is an active duty United States Army Special Forces (SF) Group. 10th Group is designed to deploy and execute nine doctrinal missions: unconventional warfare (UW), foreign in ...
, who adopted the symbol under the command of
Colonel Aaron Bank after it had occupied a
Waffen SS
The (, "Armed SS") was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with volunteers and conscripts from both occupied and unoccupied lands.
The grew from th ...
officer school (
Junkerschule
SS-Junker Schools (German ''SS-Junkerschulen'') were leadership training facilities for officer candidates of the ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS). The term ''Junkerschulen'' was introduced by Nazi Germany in 1937, although the first facilities were establi ...
) at Flint Kaserne.
* A song, "
Edelweiss
EDELWEISS (Expérience pour DEtecter Les WIMPs En Site Souterrain) is a dark matter search experiment located at the Modane Underground Laboratory in France. The experiment uses cryogenic detectors, measuring both the phonon and ionization signals ...
", was written for
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Rodgers and Hammerstein was a theater-writing team of composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), who together created a series of innovative and influential American musicals. Their popu ...
's musical ''
The Sound of Music
''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, '' The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. Se ...
'' (1959).
* Since 2002, the
Austrian
Austrian may refer to:
* Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent
** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law
* Austrian German dialect
* Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...
2 euro cent coin
The 2 euro coins, euro cent coin (€0.02) has a value of one-fiftieth of a euro and is composed of copper-plated steel. All coins have a common reverse and country-specific (national) obverse. The coin has been used since 2002 and was not redesi ...
has depicted an edelweiss. From 1959 to 2001, the one-schilling coin depicted a bunch of three flowers.
* It is the symbol of the Bulgarian Tourist Union and the Bulgarian Mountain Control and Lifeguard Service.
* It is also the symbol of the Swiss national tourism organisation.
* It is featured on the Romanian fifty-lei note.
* An Austrian brand of beer is ''Edelweiß''.
* The edelweiss is used in the logotypes of several
alpine club
The first alpine club, the Alpine Club, based in the United Kingdom, was founded in London in 1857 as a gentlemen's club. It was once described as:
:"a club of English gentlemen devoted to mountaineering, first of all in the Alps, members of which ...
s such as the ''Deutscher Alpenverein'' (
German Alpine Club
The German Alpine Club (german: links=no, Deutscher Alpenverein, DAV for short) is the world's largest climbing association and the eighth-largest sporting association in Germany. It is a member of the German Olympic Sports Confederation and the ...
), the ''Österreichischer Alpenverein'' (
Austrian Alpine Club
The Austrian Alpine Club (german: Österreichischer Alpenverein) has about 573,000 members in 196 sections and is the largest mountaineering organisation in Austria. It is responsible for the upkeep of over 234 alpine huts in Austria and neighbour ...
), the Societá Alpina Friulana (Friulian Alpine Club) or the ''Alpenverein Südtirol'' (
South Tyrol Alpine Club
The South Tyrol Alpine Club (german: Alpenverein Südtirol), abbreviated AVS, is an association of German and Ladin-speaking mountain climbers in South Tyrol, northern Italy. Founded in 1946, it is sub-divided into 32 sections and 58 local division ...
). The edelweiss is also used in the logotype of the
Union of International Mountain Leader Associations
The Union of International Mountain Leader Associations (UIMLA) was founded in November 2004. It was decided at the meeting that all mountain leader associations would be awarded the same carnet and badge giving an internationally recognised id ...
(UIMLA).
* The ''Südtiroler Volkspartei'' (
South Tyrolean People's Party
The South Tyrolean People's Party (german: Südtiroler Volkspartei, SVP) is a regionalist and autonomist political party in South Tyrol, an autonomous province with a German-speaking majority in northern Italy.
Founded on 8 May 1945, the SVP ha ...
) uses the flower as its logo.
* In ''
Asterix in Switzerland
''Asterix in Switzerland'' (, "Asterix in the land of the Helvetii") is the sixteenth volume of the ''Asterix'' comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). It was originally serialized in ''Pilote'' magazine ...
'' (1970), the plot is driven by a quest to find edelweiss in the Swiss mountains and bring a bloom back to Gaul to cure a poisoned Roman quaestor.
*
Edelweiss Air
Edelweiss Air AG is a Swiss leisure airline, charter airline and the sister company of Swiss International Air Lines. It operates flights to European and intercontinental destinations from its base at Zürich Airport.
History
The airline w ...
, an international airline based in Switzerland, is named after the flower, which also appears in its logo.
* The musician
Moondog
Louis Thomas Hardin (May 26, 1916 – September 8, 1999), known professionally as Moondog, was an American composer, musician, performer, music theoretician, poet and inventor of musical instruments. Largely self-taught as a composer, his ...
composed the song "High on a Rocky Ledge," inspired by the Edelweiss flower.
* "Bring me Edelweiss" is the best-known song of the music group
Edelweiss
EDELWEISS (Expérience pour DEtecter Les WIMPs En Site Souterrain) is a dark matter search experiment located at the Modane Underground Laboratory in France. The experiment uses cryogenic detectors, measuring both the phonon and ionization signals ...
.
* Polish professional ice hockey team
MMKS Podhale Nowy Targ uses an edelweiss as its emblem.
*
Edelweiss Lodge and Resort
Edelweiss Lodge and Resort is a U.S. Department of Defense owned recreation hotel in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Located in the Bavarian Alps near the Austrian border, the facility opened in September 2004 at a cost of $80 million.
Due to i ...
is a military resort located in Garmisch, Germany.
* The song La Belle Fleur Sauvage by
Lord Huron
Lord Huron is an American indie rock band based in Los Angeles. The band is composed of Mark Barry (drums, percussion), Miguel Briseño (bass, keyboard, theremin), Tom Renaud (guitar) and its founder, Ben Schneider (guitar, lead singer). Followi ...
has lyrics inspired by the tradition of presenting a loved one with an edelweiss.
* In the 7th instalment of the
Dark Parables
Blue Tea Games is a casual computer games development studio, founded on January 24, 2003 by Steven Zhao.
Blue Tea Games
Blue Tea Games's works are usually released through digital and online casual game distributor Big Fish Games where the compan ...
franchise, the ''Snow Edelweiss'' flower is revealed to be the flower associated with the Snow Queen, Snow White, the counterpart to her fraternal twin brother, Prince Ross Red of the Fiery
Rosa
Rosa or De Rosa may refer to:
People
*Rosa (given name)
* Rosa (surname)
*Santa Rosa (female given name from Latin-a latinized variant of Rose)
Places
*223 Rosa, an asteroid
*Rosa, Alabama, a town, United States
* Rosa, Germany, in Thuringia, G ...
flower.
* In HBO's 2001 mini series ''
Band of Brothers'', edelweiss is found on a dead German soldier's uniform. When asked about this,
Captain Lewis Nixon replied, "That's edelweiss. It grows in the mountains, above the treeline. Which means he climbed up there to get it. Supposed to be the mark of a true soldier."
*In the Korean drama
Crash Landing on You
''Crash Landing on You'' () is a 2019–2020 South Korean television series written by Park Ji-eun, directed by Lee Jeong-hyo and starring Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Seo Ji-hye, and Kim Jung-hyun. It is about a successful South Korean businesswoman ...
, Ri Jyeong Hyuk gives Yoon Se-ri a potted edelweiss. He later asks her to meet him "where the edelweiss grows", referring to the
Jungfrau region
The Jungfrau Region (German: ''Jungfrauregion'') is a region of the Bernese Oberland, at the foot of the Bernese Alps. It consists of two valleys south of Interlaken: that of Grindelwald and that of Lauterbrunnen, both drained by the Lütschine.
...
where they later meet again.
*The edelweiss is used as a symbol by
10th Mountain Assault Brigade of the
Ukrainian Armed Forces
, imports =
, exports =
, history =
, ranks = Military ranks of Ukraine
, country=Ukraine
The Armed Forces of Ukraine ( uk, Збро́йні си́ли Украї́ни), most commonly known ...
.
*After Lithuania regained its independence, children of German descent living in Lithuania formed the Edelweiss community, later renamed the Edelweiss-Wolfskinder (
Wolf children
is a 2012 Japanese anime drama film directed and co-written by Mamoru Hosoda. The second original feature film directed by Hosoda and the first work written by him, the film stars the voices of Aoi Miyazaki, Takao Osawa and Haru Kuroki. The stor ...
).
Gallery
File:Eisernes-Edelweiss.jpg, World War One
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
-era nail-fundraiser monument: the ''Iron Edelweiss'' of Enns, Austria.
File:Abzeichen Grüntentag 1963.jpg, 1963 German mountain sport pin.
File:Leontopodium-alpinum04.jpg, German Alpine Club
The German Alpine Club (german: links=no, Deutscher Alpenverein, DAV for short) is the world's largest climbing association and the eighth-largest sporting association in Germany. It is a member of the German Olympic Sports Confederation and the ...
logo pin.
File:50 lei. Romania, 2005 a.jpg, On a Romanian fifty lei note.
File:Uimla.gif, Logo of the Union of International Mountain Leader Associations
The Union of International Mountain Leader Associations (UIMLA) was founded in November 2004. It was decided at the meeting that all mountain leader associations would be awarded the same carnet and badge giving an internationally recognised id ...
.
File:Hrvatska gorska sluzba spasavanja logo 0110 1.jpg, Logo of Croatian Mountain Rescue Service
Croatian Mountain Rescue Service ( hr, Hrvatska gorska služba spašavanja, HGSS or GSS) is a national, voluntary, professional, humanitarian and non-partisan association working in the public interest. It is dedicated to preventing accidents, an ...
File:ZRHEdelweiss.jpg, Aircraft livery
An aircraft livery is a set of comprehensive insignia comprising color, graphic, and typographical identifiers which operators (airlines, governments, air forces and occasionally private and corporate owners) apply to their aircraft.
As aircraft ...
of Edelweiss Air
Edelweiss Air AG is a Swiss leisure airline, charter airline and the sister company of Swiss International Air Lines. It operates flights to European and intercontinental destinations from its base at Zürich Airport.
History
The airline w ...
.
File:ЦМ ВОВ. Кабина Ju-88 (Германия).jpg, Nazi-era nose art
Nose art is a decorative painting or design on the fuselage of an aircraft, usually on the front fuselage.
While begun for practical reasons of identifying friendly units, the practice evolved to express the individuality often constrained by ...
on a bomber from the "Edelweiss Wing" (KG 51).
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-402-0265-03A, Flugzeug Junkers Ju 88, Startvorbereitung.jpg, Nazi-era photo with KG 51 insignia on a Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 is a German World War II ''Luftwaffe'' twin-engined multirole combat aircraft. Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works (JFM) designed the plane in the mid-1930s as a so-called ''Schnellbomber'' ("fast bomber") that would be too fast f ...
bomber.
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-340-0175-20A, Im Westen, Geschwader--Staffelabzeichen.jpg, 1939 Nazi-era aircraft nose art.
File:Ciecm.JPG, French mountain troops school emblem.[NOTE: CIECM meaning ''Centre d' Instruction et d' Entraînement au Combat en Montagne'' (reference only).]
File:LogoRMSV.tif, Logo of German sports association RMSV.
File:Edelweiss-Auszeichnung 3 Sterne.png, Rank insignia in the Swiss postal service.
File:Grenzschutzbergführer.JPG, German Federal Police
The Federal Police (''Bundespolizei'' or BPOL) is the national and principal federal law enforcement agency of the German Federal Government, being subordinate to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community (''Bundesministerium ...
rank insignia patch.
File:Stamp of Kyrgyzstan 034.jpg, Kyrgyz Kyrgyz, Kirghiz or Kyrgyzstani may refer to:
* Someone or something related to Kyrgyzstan
*Kyrgyz people
*Kyrgyz national games
*Kyrgyz language
*Kyrgyz culture
*Kyrgyz cuisine
*Yenisei Kirghiz
*The Fuyü Gïrgïs language in Northeastern China
...
postage stamp from 1994.
File:DBP 1975 867 Wohlfahrt Alpenblumen.jpg, West German postage stamp from 1975.
File:Swiss-Commemorative-Coin-2004b-CHF-20-obverse.png, On 2004 Swiss coin.
File:100 CHF 1925 681736.png, On 1925 gold 100 Swiss franc
The Swiss franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It is also legal tender in the Italian exclave of Campione d'Italia which is surrounded by Swiss territory. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) issues banknotes and the f ...
s coin.
File:Coin of Kazakhstan 500-Edelveis-rev.jpg, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
500 tenge coin.
File:CHE OF9 General.svg, Four-"Star" rank insignia of the top Swiss general.
File:JgB23.jpg, Austrian army JgB 23 emblem.
File:2. JaboG 34.png, West/German military ''"Allgäu"'' fighter/bomber group 1958–2003.
File:Gebirgsjägerbrigade 23 (Bundeswehr).svg, West/German military 23rd mountain rifles troops emblem.
File:Szarotka.png, Insignia of the Polish Army Podhale Rifles
Podhale Rifles ( pl, Strzelcy podhalańscy, nicknamed "Podhalańczycy") is the traditional name of the mountain infantry units of the Polish Army. Formed in 1918 out of volunteers of the region of Podhale, in 1919 the smaller detachments of Podh ...
.
File:Szarotka 21BSP0.svg, Insignia of the Polish Army 21st Podhale Rifles Brigade.
File:17osn Edelweiss.jpg, Russian military 17 ОСН "Edelweiss" emblem.
File:Wappen StbB transparent dev.gif, Austrian army JgB 6 emblem.
File:Blason Vaujany.svg, Arms of Vaujany
Vaujany () is a commune in the canton of Oisans-Romanche, in the Isère department in southeastern France. The village is picturesque, with excellent views of the Grand Galbert mountain at the head of the valley.
Population
Economy
The hydroe ...
, France.
File:Wappen at au.png, Arms of Au, Austria.
File:Actual Brașov county CoA.png, Arms of the county of Brașov
Brașov (, , ; german: Kronstadt; hu, Brassó; la, Corona; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Kruhnen'') is a city in Transylvania, Romania and the administrative centre of Brașov County.
According to the latest Romanian census (2011), Brașov has a popu ...
, Romania.
File:Dramsha gerb.jpg, Arms of Dramsha
Dramsha or Drumsha ( bg, Дръмша) is a village in Kostinbrod Municipality, Sofia Province Bulgaria. The legend goes that during Ottoman times, the invading Turks couldn't reach the village due to bad weather and non-existent roads. Therefore, ...
, Bulgaria.
File:Blason de la ville de Bonnefamille (Isère).svg, Arms of Bonnefamille, France.
File:Blason ville fr Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (Haute-Savoie).svg, Arms of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France.
File:Blason vile fr Les Carroz d'Arâches.svg, Arms of Carroz d'Arâches, France.
File:Wappen Eisenaerzt.png, Arms of Eisenärzt, Germany.
File:Edelweiss Biertender.jpg, Logo of Edelweiss Beer.
File:Ulrich Wille.jpg, General's "star" on the saddle of World War I-era Swiss commander Ulrich Wille
Conrad Ulrich Sigmund Wille (5 April 1848 – 31 January 1925) was the General of the Swiss Army during the First World War. Inspired by the Prussian techniques that he had been able to observe at the time of his studies in Berlin, he attempted ...
.
File:Engelbert Dollfuss.png, On the hat and collar circa 1933 of Austria's Engelbert Dollfuss
Engelbert Dollfuß (alternatively: ''Dolfuss'', ; 4 October 1892 – 25 July 1934) was an Austrian clerical fascist politician who served as Chancellor of Austria between 1932 and 1934. Having served as Minister for Forests and Agriculture, he a ...
.
File:CohMont1.jpg, Imperial Roman
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...
tombstone of Austrian soldier Marius son of Ructinus.
File:Farm Edelweiss in Namibia Bird Eye View.jpg, Bird's eye view of farm Edelweiss 11 km west of Stampriet
Stampriet is a village in Hardap Region, Namibia. It is located 64 km north-east of Mariental and above sea level, in a barren area on the upper reaches of the Auob River where humans and animals alike depend on borehole water.
History
St ...
/ Namibia
Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
See also
*
Flora of the Alps
__NOTOC__
The Alps are one of the great mountain range systems of Europe stretching approximately 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) across eight Alpine countries from Austria and Slovenia in the east, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, France to th ...
*
Golden age of alpinism
The golden age of alpinism was the decade in mountaineering between Alfred Wills's ascent of the Wetterhorn in 1854 and Edward Whymper's ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865, during which many major peaks in the Alps saw their first ascents.
Promin ...
References
External links
{{Authority control
nivale
Flora of Europe
Alpine flora
Flora of the Alps
Subshrubs
Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN
Flora of the Carpathians