The government of Austria has accepted the Edelweiss as the National flower of the country. The flowers appear to be felted due to the presence of the wool-like white hairs and are generally yellow in colour.

Grown widely in the Alpine mountains of Europe, this beautiful flower is regarded as a protected species in many countries including Austria. Edelweiss is entwined with the lives of the people of Austria, and it is found to be distinctly present in the country’s culture, folklore and art. Since antiquity, edelweiss has been regarded as the “ultimate love charm” and it is believed that men who are in love would try to win their beloved by collecting edelweiss from the most inaccessible spots on the mountains, in the process many a lover would sacrifice their lives.

Edelweiss was a favourite of the Austrian emperor Franz Josef and his beautiful wife Empress Elizabeth. The flower is depicted in the two euro cent coins of Austria. A beer is also found to be branded with the name of the flower in the country. In the famous English musical movie, ‘The Sound of Music’ which was filmed in Austria, the subject of the theme song was on edelweiss. The flower also symbolizes the Austrian troops and is known to be a mark of a true warrior. The flower is present in the Austrian Alpine society logo.