Edelweiss

Leontopodium nivale

Strength, Reflection

Edelweiss produces star-shaped, white flowers. Plants grow at high altitudes, reflecting the stars back to the cosmos and representing the stars on Earth. Edelweiss is for people who feel a strong affinity to the cosmos or if you look at the night sky and you feel you are part of or connected to universal energy. Edelweiss flowers represents the earthly symbolism of the cosmos, an energy that may help with defining your truth, your core beliefs, within your musings and meditations. 

The plants are well-adapted to harsh environments, showing the strength of the people of the Earth and our ability to survive in difficult conditions. Edelweiss has woolly, white flowers and leaves covered in dense, tiny hairs that protect it from cold, drought and intense sunlight. Plants grow low to the ground, from 3 to 8 inches in height. It forms a compact, mat-like cluster of stems and leaves, allowing it to thrive in rocky, high-altitude environments. This plant shows us how to gather ourselves into the core of our being to survive difficult external conditions as well as the glare of the opinions of others. People who work in public jobs can reflect on this energy to gather themselves into the strength of their own truth, to move forward, while those them may offer opinion and speculation on what they think that truth means. 

These small, perennial alpine plants are native to the mountainous regions of Europe, particularly the Alps and the Carpathians. Edelweiss grows in rocky, limestone areas at high altitudes, often above 5,900 feet (1,800 meters). Flowers bloom from July to September. 

What appears to be a single Edelweiss flower is actually a cluster of small, yellowish florets surrounded by several leaf-like bracts. The plant's leaves are narrow, lance-shaped, and also covered in a silvery, woolly texture. This adaptation helps the plant retain moisture. Edelweiss tolerates strong winds, low temperatures and poor soil. It shows us that we too can bloom no matter where are we are planted and can thrive in difficult or harsh living conditions.

Edelweiss can be propagated from seed.  Seeds respond best when kept cold for a period of weeks before planting and take from 2 to 6 weeks to germinate.

While once picked almost to extinction, Edelweiss is now a protected species in many areas. In traditional herbal medicine, Edelweiss has been used for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The flower is also used in cosmetics. 

Edelweiss is the national flower of Austria, Bulgaria, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland.