Edelweiss Alpine

Edelweiss Alpine has a large number of legends around it that tell about loyalty, love and devotion. It is these feelings that edelweiss is considered a symbol. In addition, it survives heat, wind and frost rather steadily. One of the most famous legends is considered to be the one that tells about a beautiful woman, proud enough, who decided to marry that brave man who can pluck the edelweiss growing on a high mountain. As a result, a large number of daredevils could not climb the mountain, fell off and died. But then a young boy appeared, who was able to conquer the mountain and picked this beautiful flower. This princess was very happy, but, unfortunately, her beauty and youth at that moment had already faded, and the young man presented edelweiss to another girl. His follow this legend, then a lot of young men are trying to give their future wife this particular mountain flower. It is worth noting that in our time in most countries it is not allowed to pick this flower, therefore, an ornament in the form of edelweiss acts as a gift.

Below we will consider all the characteristics and features of not only growing, but also caring for Alpine edelweiss.

Edelweiss Alpine: description of the variety and characteristics

Edelweiss Alpine: photo

Alpine edelweiss is considered herbaceous, which can grow up to 25 cm. It has rather narrow leaves that can store moisture for a long time, due to the fact that they have a fleecy pubescence. Alpine edelweiss inflorescences are baskets of yellow and white flowers. The inflorescence is surrounded by leaves of a stellate-spread shape. Edelweiss is endowed with a rather creeping root system, so it can grow quite independently. Due to this feature, this plant is used as a ground cover plant. But in order to grow Alpine edelweiss in your area, you will have to provide it with all conditions that are quite close to natural. It should also be said about this fact: this flower is a symbol of Switzerland, and the inhabitants of this country call this plant the queen of the Alps.

Varieties

The genus of Alpine edelweiss consists of more than 30 different species of this flower. They are quite similar to each other in appearance. The most famous and common types are considered to be:

• Edelweiss Alpine. It is considered the most popular and famous type of this flower. Growing in garden plots, it can grow up to 20 cm in height. Alpine edelweiss inflorescences consist of scutes collected in baskets. Looking at its leaves, it seems that they have a white color, thanks to a rather thick tomentose pubescence. To preserve all the signs of its appearance, this flower should be propagated by a vegetative method.
• Bicolor... The bushes of this flower consist of erect shoots, and they can grow up to 35 cm. The flowering period begins in July and is accompanied by flowers of yellow and white colors, which are framed by leaf arrows of different lengths.
• Kuril... A rather undersized species of this plant, reaching a length of only up to 20 cm. The basal leaves are oblong in shape and reach a length of about 7 cm. The stem leaves are much smaller and have a felt structure, as well as a gray tint. The bracts form a star and have a yellow or white felt pubescence. The flowers are funnel-shaped and yellow in color.The flowering period of this species occurs in the last days of July and early August.

Edelweiss Alpine: photo

Alpine edelweiss: growing conditions

Alpine edelweiss needs some conditions for good growth, so after fulfilling them, you can admire this flower for a long time in your area.

The soil.

One of the features of growing such a flower as alpine edelweiss is that edelweiss does not need fertile soil, since this may cause it to lose its decorative qualities. This flower loves to grow on poor soils, but with all this, the soil should be loose and light. The soil should contain crushed stone, lime and coarse sand.

Location and lighting.

In its natural environment, alpine edelweiss grows quite high in the mountains, where the sun shines brightly enough. Therefore, growing it in his garden, he should also choose a very bright place, it will be best if this place is on a hill. Edelweiss has a very bad attitude to moisture stagnation, therefore lowlands and depressions are contraindicated for it.

Neighbors.

Alpine edelweiss is considered a rather modest plant, so it should not be planted near plants that have a spectacular look, it can simply get lost against their background. It looks great with the same low flowers and crops as itself, for example, with young, alpine aster, meadow sage, stonecrop, blackhead, heuchera and viola.

Alpine edelweiss: growing from seeds

Edelweiss Alpine: photo

In open space, alpine edelweiss flowers can be planted in seedlings or sown directly into the soil. But the second option has minutes. It consists in the fact that the flowering period will come only the next year.

• Rules and terms for planting seedlings and seeds. In the spring, with the arrival of warm days, the seeds of Alpine edelweiss can already be planted directly into the soil. To do this, mark the site and place the edelweiss seeds there. You should not plant the seeds of Alpine edelweiss too deep, since in the natural environment the seeds of Alpine edelweiss are often carried by the wind, and they perfectly take root and adapt in crevices, if not covered with soil. The best option would be to make a depth of one cm, and at a distance of up to 8 cm.Further, these plantings can be thinned out, if necessary, leaving the distance between the bushes up to 20 cm.To keep moisture in the soil and improve germination, the place, where you planted this plant is covered with a film. Bushes obtained at home by seedlings begin to be planted in an open space in May-early June. For this, holes are dug in advance and watered. After that, plants are planted in them, along with a lump of soil. Alpine edelweiss will bloom next season.
• Top dressing and watering. This plant does not require abundant and regular watering at all, and at a time when moderate rainfall occurs, the watering procedure is not at all necessary. Since with an excess of moisture in edelweiss, root decay may begin, then during the period of heavy rainfall, the planting of this plant must be covered with a film. As for feeding, Alpine edelweiss does not like her, especially with regard to organic fertilizers. The best option for its development and growth would be stony and infertile soil. A small top dressing can be made, but only in the autumn, so that the edelweiss will survive the cold winter well.
• Transfer. At a time when the alpine edelweiss bushes have grown quite strongly, they need a transplant. Holes are pre-dug and watered. The flowers are carefully placed in the holes and the roots are carefully spread, after which they are covered with dry soil.When lateral shoots form on the stems of the plant, it can mean that the flowers have taken root and adapted.
• Weeding... The place where alpine edelweiss is grown is required in the weeding procedure, since otherwise young bushes can simply overgrow with weeds, and this is done manually, due to the fact that these plants are close enough to each other, and from the use of glanders, the stems and root system of the flower can be damaged ...
• Preparing for the winter period... Additional shelter for alpine edelweiss may not even be necessary if a fairly good layer of snow falls before the arrival of frost. You can only cover young bushes that were planted in the autumn. To do this, mulch is made for them, which is peat, and when the warm time comes, the mulch is removed. This plant can endure spring frosts quite firmly even without shelter.

Alpine edelweiss: flower reproduction

Alpine edelweiss can be propagated by such methods as seed, cuttings and bush division. The vegetative method has the advantage that with this breeding method you will retain all of its species characteristics.

• Seed method. Sowing Alpine edelweiss seeds for seedlings can already begin in late February. For this, the seeds are kept in the refrigerator in advance, for about 2 months. Then they are sorted out, while removing the non-viable, dry ones, then they are disinfected in a weak potassium permanganate solution for about 20 minutes. Sowing seeds is done like this: drainage, consisting of expanded clay or small pebbles, is poured into the planting tank. Then the soil pours out, which includes sand and leafy earth. After that you need to make grooves, but shallow ones, into which the seeds are sown and covered with soil. The planting is sprayed with liquid and the container is covered from above with a film of ordinary or transparent glass. After two weeks, approximately, you will be able to see the first shoots. It is required to ventilate the container daily and remove condensate that has emerged from the covering material. In early June, you can already plant young flowers in their permanent place of growth. The flowering period of this plant will come in about two years.
• Dividing the bush... This method is used for overgrown alpine edelweiss bushes. They do it like this: the bush is carefully dug out in order to cause the least damage to the root system. With a fairly sharp knife, the bush is divided into about 3 parts, and so that on each part there are several points of growth. This method is used in the spring or autumn season. The planting of bushes is done with a distance of about 20 cm from each other. The flowering period for these plants begins the next year.
• Cuttings. Alpine edelweiss is propagated by this method in the month of June. For this method, the upper parts of last year's shoots are used. The soil for such seedlings should consist of leafy earth, lime and sand. The planting of cuttings is as follows: The cut tops of the shoots are first powdered in a root formation stimulator. After that, the cuttings are planted in moist soil, at a distance of up to 15 cm from each other. The plantings are covered with cans on top to retain moisture.

The role of Alpine edelweiss in landscape design

Edelweiss Alpine: video about the variety

Alpine edelweiss is preferred to grow on alpine hills, rocky gardens, as well as in flower beds that are in the sun itself. Edelweiss perfectly frames the lower stem of the treelike hydrangea, cypress, Syrian rose and other small shrubs. Also, Alpine edelweiss looks great against the background of a green lawn, and also near grassy plants with a contrasting texture.