Everyone who has seen the movie remembers the song “Edelweiss” from “The Sound of Music,” but did you know this tiny, delicate, furry flower became the Alpine emblem that it is because of the machismo of mountain climbers?

Alpinism – the fad to climb the highest mountains in the Alps – was experiencing its peak in the mid-19th century. Like fishermen, mountain-scaling macho men tended to exaggerate their feats.

One story that grew (and grew) was that of the flower the Swiss naturalist Konrad Gessner called Wollblume (wool flower).

The tall tale went that edelweiss (German for “noble white”) only sprouted from ice on sheer vertical cliff faces. He who succeeded in picking one and presenting it to a lady was the most daring, brave, honest and true.

Or so the girls thought.

An 1861 novel, “Edelweiss,” popularized this notion, with the hero braving a steep rock face to collect a flower and bring it back to his young lady to prove both his love and courage. Its author claimed, “The possession of one is proof of unusual daring.”

While it does grow at high altitudes (10,300 feet being the highest recorded) on exposed limestone rocks, it can also be found at the edge of Alpine meadows. It easily can be picked without risking life or limb.

Magical powers were also attributed to the mountain flower. In a 1785 study by naturalist Karl von Moll, he records a conversation with an Austrian farmer, who claimed that when used as incense, smoke from burning edelweiss could drive away spirits that attacked livestock and caused udder infections.

It was also used to aid digestion and treat respiratory infections like tuberculosis.

In Switzerland today, it adorns coins and the logos for tourism offices and airlines. So much is it associated with this part of the world, it’s difficult to believe it originated in the Himalayas and Siberia. It caught a ride to Europe during the Ice Age.

Despite its delicate appearance, every part of the plant is designed to survive extreme weather conditions. Its underground stems are wind resistant and its bracts provide UV protection. This quality makes it useful in cosmetics and sunscreen.

Edelweiss was even used to make political statements. It was both the favorite flower of Adolph Hitler and adopted by the Nazi resistance movement, the Edelweiss Pirates.

The famous song written for “The Sound of Music” was a statement of Austrian nationalism facing off against Nazi pressure.

Who knew?

– A reference librarian, Lisa Karen Miller has been gardening and researching plant lore for many years. Have plant lore to share? Email lisalisa13131313@gmail.com.