Alpine Edelweiss: variety description, planting and care, growing from seeds

There are many legends about edelweiss, telling about love, fidelity and devotion. It is the symbol of these feelings that he is, steadfastly enduring severe frosts, wind and heat. There are about 30 types of culture in nature, the Alpine mountain edelweiss is one of its beautiful representatives. Further information on the necessary growing conditions, care, methods of reproduction, as well as the use of the plant in landscape design.

Legend of Edelweiss

There are many legends about this flower. One of them tells about a proud beauty who decided to marry a daredevil who picked an edelweiss growing high in the mountains. Many young people fell off the cliffs and died.

Finally, a young man appeared who conquered the mountains, and he plucked edelweiss. The princess was delighted, but by this time her beauty had faded, and the young man gave the flower to a completely different girl. According to legend, many guys are eager to give this flower to their future wives.

Pay attention! In many countries, it is forbidden to pick edelweiss, so they give decorations in the form of this flower as a gift.

Characteristic features of the plant

Edelweiss is a herbaceous plant reaching a height of 15-25 centimeters. It has narrow leaves, which, thanks to the fleecy pubescence, are able to retain moisture for a long time. The inflorescence is a basket of white or yellow flowers. It is surrounded by star-spread leaves.

Thanks to the creeping rhizome, edelweiss is able to grow on its own. Due to this quality, the flower is used as a ground cover planting. But, in order to grow it on his site, the gardener must provide the plant with conditions close to natural.

Application in landscape design

Edelweiss is planted in rocky gardens, alpine hills, flower beds located in the sun. It can frame the lower part of the trunks of arboreal hydrangea, Syrian rose, cypress, as well as other low shrubs. A flower will look beautiful against the background of a lawn, as well as next to herbaceous plants of a contrasting texture.

Varieties and varieties

The genus of edelweiss includes more than 30 species of this plant. They are very similar to each other. The most common types are:

Alpine

This is the most common type of edelweiss. Its height in gardeners' plots varies from 10 to 20 centimeters. Inflorescences of mountain edelweiss consist of shields collected in baskets. The leaves around them seem to be painted white due to the thick felt pubescence. To preserve the characteristics of the species, it must be propagated vegetatively.

Two-color

Bicolor edelweiss bushes consist of upright shoots. They reach a height of 35 centimeters. White and yellow flowers framed in various lengths of leaf arrows bloom in July.

Kuril

This is a short edelweiss species. Its length barely reaches 20 centimeters. Basal leaves are oblong, about 7 centimeters long. Stem leaf plates are smaller, felt, gray. The bracts forming a star are pubescent with white or yellow felt. Yellow funnel-shaped flowers bloom in late July - early August.

Additional information. Edelweiss is considered a symbol of Switzerland. The inhabitants of this country call him the Queen of the Alps.

Necessary conditions for growing

By providing Alpine edelweiss with the necessary conditions, the gardener will be able to admire this plant for a long time.

What kind of soil is suitable

The peculiarity of growing edelweiss is that it does not need fertile soil, because this loses the decorative effect of the flower. On poor, but at the same time light and loose soils, on the contrary, it feels great. Gravel, coarse sand, and lime are added to the substrate.

Location and lighting

In nature, culture grows high in the mountains, where the sun shines brightly. In the garden, he needs to be provided with the same bright area, preferably located on a hill. It has no place in lowlands and depressions, because it does not tolerate stagnant moisture.

What to plant nearby

Alpine edelweiss is a modest flower, so it is not planted next to spectacular-looking plants. Against their background, he will be lost. It is combined with the same low-growing plants as he is: alpine aster, juvenile, geyhera, blackhead, viola, stonecrop, meadow sage.

Methods of flower propagation

Alpine edelweiss can be propagated by seeds, dividing the bush, cuttings. The advantage of vegetative propagation is that its species characteristics are preserved.

Seeds

You can start sowing seeds for seedlings at the end of February. Seeds are preliminarily kept for 2-2.5 months in the refrigerator. Then they are sorted out, dry, non-viable are rejected, disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 15-20 minutes. Planting seeds is done as follows:

drainage from small stones or expanded clay is poured at the bottom of the landing box;
a substrate is poured, consisting of leafy earth and sand;
shallow grooves are made in which seeds are planted, covered with soil;
plantings are sprayed with water from a spray bottle;
the box is covered with glass or plastic wrap.

Sprouts will appear in about 2 weeks. Every day you need to ventilate the container and wipe the condensate from the covering material. In early June, young plants are planted in a permanent place. Alpine edelweiss will bloom in 2 years.

Dividing the bush

This method propagates overgrown bushes. To do this, the bush is carefully dug up, trying to injure the roots as little as possible. With a sharp knife, the edelweiss is divided into 2-3 parts. There should be several growth points on each of the divisions.

The procedure is carried out in spring or autumn. Bushes are planted at a distance of 15-20 centimeters from each other. Divided plants bloom next year.

By cuttings

Edelweiss Alpine is propagated by cuttings in June. To do this, use the tops of last year's shoots. The substrate for seedlings is selected from sand, leafy earth with the addition of lime.

The cuttings are planted as follows:

cut parts of the shoots are powdered in a preparation that stimulates root formation;
at a distance of 10-15 centimeters, cuttings are planted in moist soil;
cover plantings with jars to retain moisture in them.

Seedlings are watered as needed. When they start to grow, the banks are removed. Flowering will come next season.

Important! Vegetative propagation allows you to save the appearance of the species.

How to plant and care for a crop in the garden

Crop can be planted on the site by seedling method, or sown directly into the ground. The disadvantage of the last option is that flowering will not occur this year.

Technology and timing of planting seeds and seedlings

In the spring, with the onset of heat, edelweiss seeds can be planted immediately in the ground.For this, a place is marked on an alpine hill or rockery, and seed material is placed there. It is not necessary to plant deep, because in nature the seeds are carried by the wind, and they easily take root in crevices without being covered with soil.

Optimal embedment depth - 1 centimeter at a distance of 7-8 centimeters. In the future, if necessary, planting can be thinned out, leaving a distance of 15-20 centimeters between the bushes. To preserve moisture in the soil, and better germination, the area with sown edelweiss is covered with a film.

Home-grown seedlings are planted in open ground in May or early June. Holes are dug, watered, plants are planted in them together with a clod of earth. Flowering will come next year.

Water and fertilize

Abundant watering is not required for Alpine edelweiss. In a season with moderate rainfall, it is not needed at all. From an excess of moisture in a plant, the roots can rot. In case of heavy rainfall, plantings should be covered with a film.

Alpine edelweiss does not like top dressing, especially organic matter. It grows best in infertile, rocky soil. You can feed a little in the fall so that the plant survives the frosty winter.

Flower transplant

When the bushes grow too large, they need to be planted. To do this, pits are dug, watered, the roots of the transplanted flowers are carefully straightened, sprinkled with dry soil. An indicator that the plants have taken root is the appearance of side shoots on the stems.

Weeding

So that young bushes are not overgrown with weeds, the site needs to be weeded. Since the plants are located close to each other, it is better to do this manually. The use of sapa can damage the stems and rhizomes of the crop.

Preparing for winter

If enough snow fell before the onset of frost, additional shelter is not required for edelweiss. You can cover only young bushes planted in autumn.To do this, they are mulched with peat, and with the advent of heat they open. Return spring frosts are not terrible for edelweiss.