Facts for Kids

The name people most often use is German: Edelweiß, which means “noble white.” In the Alps and nearby mountains the flower has many other names that tell a story about where it grows. In Slovenian it is called planika, or “mountain girl,” and in Romanian it is floare de colţ, meaning “cliff flower.”

In Italian the name is stella alpina and in French it is étoile des Alpes—both mean “star of the Alps,” because the white bracts make a star shape. The scientific name Leontopodium means “lion’s paw,” and nivale means “snowy.” Long ago different regions also used names like Chatzen-Talpen and Wullbluomen.

Edelweiss looks like a small, white, woolly star. The leaves and the white parts around the flower are covered with thick, soft hairs called tomentose. These hairs make the plant feel fuzzy and help protect it from cold and dry winds.

A wild edelweiss stalk is often only 3–20 centimetres tall (about 1–8 inches), though plants grown in gardens can reach up to 40 centimetres. Each bloom has five or six tiny yellow flower parts in the middle. The white star you see is not petals but special leaves called bracts arranged in a double-star shape. They usually bloom in summer, from July to September, and change as the season goes on.

Edelweiss grows high in mountain places where people and animals sometimes change the land. Long ago, some wild plants became fewer because people picked too many flowers and animals grazed too much. Today most edelweiss are not in danger, but they still need help so they stay common on the Alps and other mountains.

Many countries protect the plant by making rules about picking it, by setting aside parks and nature reserves, and by watching the places where it grows. Botanical gardens grow edelweiss from seeds so scientists can learn how to keep it healthy. Seed banks and careful watching of wild populations also help keep numbers steady for the future.

Edelweiss is a small mountain flower that many people think of as pure and brave because it lives high on rocky slopes. Its scientific name is Leontopodium nivale, and it belongs to the daisy or sunflower family. You can find it where the air is thin and cold, usually about 1,800–3,400 metres above sea level (around 5,900–11,200 feet). The plant is not poisonous.

Edelweiss has dense, woolly hairs that help it stay safe from cold, dryness, and strong sunlight that reaches the mountains. Because it grows in remote places and does not live long, people often use it as a symbol of rugged beauty and pure mountain air. In parts of Europe the flower is a national symbol, and people have long given it as a promise of true feeling.

Today the edelweiss appears on coins, badges, and logos to show mountain life and national pride. Austria put the flower on coins for many years, and the 2 cent euro coin shows it now. Alpine clubs, mountain rescue teams, and tourist groups use the edelweiss as a friendly sign that tells people they love the mountains.

The flower also appears in movies, TV shows, and songs. You probably know the gentle song “Edelweiss” from The Sound of Music. It shows up in books, comics, and even video games, where it often stands for nature, home, or bravery. Where have you seen the edelweiss symbol before?

Edelweiss prefers high, rocky places with limestone rock. It grows mainly in European mountain ranges, especially the Alps, and also in the Pyrenees and parts of the Apennines and Balkans. You will find it on exposed cliffs, scree (loose rocks), and often on north-facing slopes where fewer plants grow.

The plant is well adapted to life where soils are thin, winds are strong, and temperatures change a lot. Its woolly hairs reduce water loss and help scatter and absorb some of the strong ultraviolet light found at high altitudes. Because it grows in hard-to-reach places, edelweiss is fairly scarce and often found in small, scattered groups.

People have long used the edelweiss as a sign of the high mountains and of courage. In 1907 Emperor Franz Joseph I made it the badge for some imperial mountain troops. During World War I, mountain units in several armies wore edelweiss badges to show they belonged to alpine groups and to honour brave service high in the mountains.

Between the wars and into World War II, some mountain troops kept using the symbol. At the same time, other groups—both official and those who opposed the ruling powers—also used the flower as a badge or name. The flower even appeared in plans and operations used by armies during wartime. Songs about edelweiss were popular with soldiers and civilians, too.