Alpine Edelweiss

Symbol of the high mountains and traditional Chinese medicinal herb

Number of seeds: 500  / Botanical name: Leontopodium alpinum

The edelweiss, which blooms in midsummer and is only 15 centimeters tall, is considered the quintessential symbol of the Alps. It represents courage and love, as picking this small plant, which only flowers at very high and inaccessible altitudes, once served as a young lad's proof of bravery and as a special gift for his sweetheart. 
Edelweiss was the first plant ever to be placed under protection in 1886.
In folk medicine, it has been known for centuries as the "stomachache flower" and was once used to treat gastrointestinal problems. Since edelweiss also grows in the Himalayan region, the plant has a firm place in traditional Chinese medicine as well.

Natural habitat: Its original natural habitat is in the high mountains of Europe and Asia.