Postal stamps: flowers - Germany / Federal Republic of Germany 2006 - 220 Euro Cent

The edelweiss belongs to the genus "Leontopodium" (Greek: "leon" for lion and "podion" for feet). Most of its subspecies are native to Central and East Asia. In Europe there are two types: the "snow edelweiss" grows in Bulgaria and in the Italian Abruzzo, the alpine edelweiss in the high mountains of Central Europe such as the Carpathians, the Pyrenees and the Alps. Already at the beginning of the 19th century, the white-felted blossom stars of Alpen-Edelweiß became a fashion flower. Amulets with dried flowers graced alpine costumes. The characteristic flower picture adorns Lederhosen, became the badge of mountaineering and hiking associations and mountain hunters. The generals of the Swiss military wear edelweiss instead of stars on the epaulettes of their uniforms. The popularity of the edelweiss threatened to be fatal to the plant, as it was picked in large quantities. In order to prevent extinction, therefore, in some areas of Bavaria and Austria at the end of the 19th century plucking bans, which adhered to the mountain rescue began. The name "Edelweiss" comes from the Tauern valleys and first appeared in 1784 in writings.