How to Grow Leontopodium Plants
Guide to Growing Edelweiss
An essential part of many gardens, Leontopodium is a hardy perennial that reaches about 30 cm (1 foot) in height.
It blooms from late spring through to summer, and carries white stellar shaped flowers.
Leontopodium alpinum - Edelweiss by Franco Folini.
The foliage is lance shaped and woolly in nature. Common names for Leontopodium include Edelweiss.
Commonly Grown Leontopodium Species Photographs and Edelweiss Plant Identification
Leontopodium alpinum: Edelweiss (subspecies: Leontopodium nivale alpinum) that is better known as the Alpine Edelweiss)
Leontopodium nivale Subspecies Alpinum, photograph by xulescu_g; CC.
Edelweiss Seedlings photograph by Laura Blanchard.
Leontopodium nivale: Edelweiss
Alpen-Edelweiß photograph by xulescu_g.
Leontopodium microphyllum: Taiwan Edelweiss / Small leaf Edelweiss
Leontopodium microphyllum photograph by 石川 Shihchuan; CC.
Leontopodium discolor: Ezo-usuyuki-sō
Leontopodium discolor photograph by L. Alexeeva / Public Domain
Leontopodium japonicum: Japanese Edelweiss
Leontopodium japonicum photograph by yamatsu; CC.
Leontopodium Growing and Care Guide
Common Names: Edelweiss, Alpine snow flower, Lady's mantle, cat's paws, Wool flower.Life Cycle: Hardy perennial.
Height: 6 to 16 inches (15 to 40 cm).
Family: Asteraceae (Compositae).
Native: Europe. Asia. Southern America.
Growing Region: Zones 4 to 7. UK Hardiness: H6 to -20°C (-4°F)
Flower Details: White. Star-shaped. Hairy.
Foliage: Lanceolate. Hairy/wooly. Small. Silver.
Sow Inside: Germination time: one week to two months. Temperature: 50°F (10°C). Mix seeds in a moist growing medium, place in a freezer bag, then stratify by refrigeration for three weeks. Ten weeks before expected last frost. Transplant outdoors following the last frost.
Miscellaneous: Mountainous plants that thrive when protected by a blanket of snow in the winter.
Edelweiss flower meaning: the common name for this plant 'Edelweiss', comes from the German words for Nobel (edel) and White (weiß). It is the national symbol of Austria and is featured in the movie 'A Sound of Music', where is is seen as a flower that is fitting for the mountains of Austria and a longing for home.
Closely Related Species: Michaelmas Daisy; Cupid's dart; Tickseed; Silver carpet; and Common Zinnia.
How to Grow Edelweiss (Leontopodium Plants)
If growing outdoors from seed then sow the Edelweiss seeds on the surface.
This should be done in the spring before the last frost.
Edelweiss prefers to grow in a partly shaded part of the rock garden, in a gritty loose soil that is close to neutral acidity (pH 6.5 to 7.5).
If you plan to first grow Edelweiss indoors, then the process should start about two months before they are due to be transplanted into the garden (following the last frost of spring).
The Edelweiss plant seeds should initially be imbibed by placing the seeds (within soil) in a black plastic bag, then putting them in the fridge for three weeks.
Seeds should then be sown out at a temperature of 12 Celsius (54°F). Edelweiss plants will normally take about two to six weeks to germinate.
Once established they should be spaced out at from 10 cm (4 inches) apart for small Leontopodium species, to 30 cm (12 inches) apart for larger Leontopodium varieties.
Edelweiss by nordique.
Caring for Edelweiss Care
Leontopodium Care: Edelweiss like to grow in the snow, and thus take a little looking after in areas that do not receive snow.
If this is the case, you should surround the Edelweiss plant with a mulch in the winter to simulate the snow experience. This mulch should be removed at the start of spring.
If you live in a snowy area, then leave Edelweiss be in the winter, but protect it from heavy rainfalls in both circumstances.
Further plants can be propagated by division. This should be done every couple of years due to the short life span of Edelweiss.
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