Although the symbolic edelweiss is generally considered very easy to care for, it still has its pitfalls. This mainly concerns its winter hardiness.
Is edelweiss hardy?
Edelweiss is hardy and can survive frosty temperatures if cared for properly. Nevertheless, you should protect the plant from cold frosts with fir or spruce branches and place it in a pot in a protected place. Particular caution is required when wet as it is harmful to the edelweiss.
Protect edelweiss from moisture
As a typical plant of the high mountains, the edelweiss is of course absolutely winter hardy. The above-ground parts of the perennial die off in winter, but it sprouts reliably again in spring - as long as the winter conditions have not killed it. In its natural habitat, the edelweiss is covered by a thick blanket of snow and is thus protected from extreme cold. You should simulate this cover during cold frosts, for example with fir or spruce branches. However, extreme caution is advised in wet winters, as these are fatal for the moisture-sensitive plant.
Protect edelweiss in the pot from frost
Edelweiss in the garden usually doesn't need any special protection against the cold, but edelweiss in the pot definitely does. Either pack the pot for winter and then place the plant in a protected place. Possible protective packaging against frost can be:
- Fleece (€6.00 at Amazon)
- Heat protection film
- a jute sack filled with leaves
The pot should be left open at the top, but covered with brushwood (e.g. fir or spruce branches). Be sure to avoid excessive moisture, as this is usually the reason why the edelweiss does not survive the winter. However, it would be best if you buried the plant and pot in the garden.
Cut edelweiss before or after winter?
Basically, the dead shoots of the edelweiss should be cut off. However, when you make this cut is up to your personal taste. If you want to get seeds for propagation, you can leave the shoots and let the seeds ripen. If this is not the case, you can cut the plant back to ground level immediately after flowering. In this way, the edelweiss can save energy that it would otherwise put into producing seeds.
Tips & Tricks
Edelweiss should always overwinter outside; the plant usually does not survive overwintering indoors due to the lack of light.