Edelweiss

[kiery]

Does any one have any experience of growing Edelweiss in the UK, especially Scotland?

I fancy going back to my roots (my omi is Austrian) and having a go at growing some, but don't know where to start.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[LBR]

Kiery, I wish I knew. A friend gave me gilded Edelweiss once for Christmas, when I lived in Munich. They were exquisite.

I think they are amazing flowers.

As far as I know, they grow high in the Alps.

[invisiblepiper]

YES! I grew edelweiss in a rockery bit in a fairly sheltered part of my garden. I got a couple of years from them - but to be honest I neglected them terribly. I don't know if the salt air killed them - or if they were strangled by more assertive plants - but I got them as a plant from a good garden centre.
West coast of Scotland - mild and wet!
Hope that helps!

[Millymollymandy]

Well. I lived at the foothills of the Jura mountains with the Alps in full view. Edelweiss died each year in my alpine trough, even when I put it in the cold frame to keep the wet off it.

Since moving to Brittany where it has been rained on a lot during winter, it has thrived. So much so I have chucked some, divided some, given a load away.....

So all that nonsense about alpine plants not liking being wet in winter..... seems to me it DOESN'T like being cold and dry in winter (which it normally is under that snow) but loves being waterlogged and having mild(er) winters!!!

[kiery]

Thanks guys,

I am off to hunt down some seeds and get my drindle on.

[Jandra]

Hi,

If you find an edelweiss called Leontopodium alpinum "nivale" it is well worth trying. It is more compact than the normal variety (so don't choose it if you like the bigger plants) which in my experience tend to become floppy.

They're lovely plants.

Jandra