The Dorfgastein flower trail

Choose a flower to learn more about you:

Things to know

Edelweiss is the most famous flower in the Alpine region. It is a rare plant that belongs to the daisy family.

Description

Edelweiss is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches growth heights of 5 to over 20 centimeters. The plant is woolly-white felted, with narrowly lanceolate stem leaves about five centimeters long that are heavily hairy, especially on the underside. A rosette is formed by the basal leaves.

Five to 15 glossy white bracts form a multi-pronged star and surround the inflorescence proper. The two to 12 similar basket-shaped inflorescences each contain 60 to 80 white-yellow tubular flowers. The very narrow tubular flowers at the edge are female. They are also called filamentous flowers. Further inward are larger male tubular flowers. Since the non-functional style is still present, the flowers may appear hermaphroditic.

The apparent flower is only a false flower. The show function is created by the densely white-felted bracts. The actual flowers sit together in many hundreds, organized into individual flower baskets, in the middle of the star, and together with the bracts form a pollinating biological unit (superpseudanthium).

The dazzling white shimmer on the bracts is caused by thousands of small air bubbles reflecting the incident light on the multiple tangled, curly hairs. This serves as a signal to honey-seeking insects, as a protection against evaporation and as a protection against heat loss. The fruits are achenes that spread as umbrella flyers. They can also adhere to animals when wet.

Location

This noble flower feels especially at home in the high Alps. It loves calcareous, stony-loamy as well as clayey soils. It is also found in rock crevices and on stony lawns at 1,800 to 3,000m. Flowering time: July to September

Origin

The edelweiss migrated to the Alps from Central Asia only after the end of the last ice age. In Europe the edelweiss can be found e.g. in the Caucasus, the Pyrenees and the Carpathians.

Nature conservation

In Austria the edelweiss was put under nature protection in 1886 and may not be picked.

Source reference: Edelweiss Leontopodium alpinum Description Fact Sheet Systematics (pflanzen-deutschland.de)

Interesting facts

The blue gentian is one of 480 species of gentian in the gentian family. It is considered a symbol of fidelity.

Description

The blue gentian is a perennial herbaceous plant that does not grow higher than

10 cm. It forms a basal rosette of low, small foliage leaves, from which emerges the blue calyx flower with olive-green spots inside on the corolla tube, which remains standing from May to August. The calyx flower is a brilliant azure blue except for the spots inside and stands above the rest of the plant mass, so the whole plant looks like one blue flower.

Location

The blue gentian is found in meadows and pastures at up to 2,500m. It does not like calcareous ground. Flowering time: April to June

Origin

Gentians are found in temperate zones in the northern and southern hemispheres. Their habitat ranges from the coast to forests and high mountains. In Central Europe, about 35 gentian species are known, which are mainly found in the alpine region.

Nature conservation

All native gentian species are protected.

Source reference: Blue gentian - care of the flower, information about flowering time and overwintering - Hausgarten.net

Things to know

The spring crocus, also called spring saffron, is an iris plant.

Crocuses are one of the early bloomers and are important to the bee world.

Description

Spring crocus grows as a perennial herbaceous plant and reaches growth heights of 5 to 15 centimeters. The leaves are basal and grass-like narrow with a white midvein and downward rolled margins. These are usually not fully developed at flowering time. The leaves have a boring tip of thickened cells for piercing the snow cover. The erect flowers respond to temperature fluctuations as small as 0.2°C and close on larger passing clouds, and have only one membranous bract.

Location

The flower likes semi-shady to sunny places, the ground should be rich in humus, moist and permeable. Flowering time: March to June

Origin

There are numerous species of crocus, originally from the Mediterranean, Asia Minor and Persia. The spring crocus can be found in pastures of the Alps, meadows or Pyrenees.

Nature conservation

The spring crocus is a protected species.

Source reference: Spring Crocus Crocus vernus description fact sheet systematics (pflanzen-deutschland.de)

Worth knowing/description

The alpine rose, also known as alpine bush, is a heather plant that belongs to the genus of

Rhododendron genus.

There are two different species of alpine rose. Due to the different parent rock on which these plant species grow, one can distinguish the rusty-leaved from the ciliated alpine rose.

Rusty-leaved alpine rose:

• Occurs only on acidic soils
• Grows on shady mountain slopes, boulder dumps and railings
• The leaves are leathery and curled at the edges (but not hairy)
• Their shape is oval to lanceolate
• This species (rusty-leaved alpine rose) can be easily identified by the rusty-brown glandular scales on the underside of the leaves

Ciliated alpine rose:

• Grows exclusively on calcareous soils
• In contrast to the rusty-leaved alpine rose, the leaves of the ciliated alpine rose are green on both sides.
• The hairs on the edges of the leaves are about one millimeter long (which is also the scientific name of the plant).

Location

The alpine rose often blooms in sparse mountain forests and in open meadows on the mountain. It thrives on fresh, humusy and rather acidic soils. It is found at an altitude of 1,500 - 2,800m above sea level. Flowering time: May to July

Origin

The alpine rose is found in the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Jura, the Apennines, the Carpathians and on the Balkan Peninsula.

Poisonous

Because of their andromedotoxin, a neurotoxin, these alpine beauties are not only very beautiful, but also highly poisonous.

Source reference:

Alpine Plants: The alpine rose - Wikommunity (wikinger-reisen.de)

Daksy - NaturParkKids South Tyrol | Alpine Rose (provinz.bz.it)

Things to know

The marsh marigold belongs to the buttercup family and is poisonous.

Description

The marsh marigold is a perennial that can grow 20 to 50 centimeters tall, depending on its location. The hollow stems branch at the top. The dark green leaves sprout directly from the rhizome on long stems, while the top-seated leaves are sessile. They are heart- to kidney-shaped with a diameter of up to 15 centimeters and have a slightly toothed leaf margin. The 3 to 4 centimeter wide, golden yellow flowers can contain up to 100 stamens.

Location

The plant likes sunny to semi-shady places. It grows in the nutrient-rich marshy zone of bodies of water. The marsh marigold also tolerates permanent water depths of up to ten centimeters without any problems. Flowering time: March to June

Origin

The natural range of the marsh marigold extends throughout the northern hemisphere to Asia.

Source reference:

Marsh marigold Caltha palustris description fact sheet systematics (pflanzen-deutschland.de).

Things to know

The Forget-me-not is a herbaceous plant.

Description

The forget-me-not is a perennial herbaceous plant. Often the still small plantlets grow in rosettes at the beginning. The stems are usually elongated and the above-ground parts of the plant are short downy hairs or glabrous. In spring, the forget-me-not forms erect and branched shoots, growing up to 30 cm tall.

Meaning

Forget-me-not describes a tender, loving goodbye with the hope of seeing each other again.

Location

The ideal place for this plant is in the sun or partial shade. It thrives in well-drained and fresh soil. Flowering time: April to June

Origin

There are more than a hundred different species of the genus Forget-me-not. Forget-me-not grows wildly scattered but gregariously along forest and roadsides, in shrubbery and woodlots, and in alpine tall herbaceous meadows.

Source reference:

Forget-me-not (heilkraeuter.de).

Things to know

Meadow clover, also known as red clover, is a native species of clover that belongs to the family of

legume family. Meadow clover is edible - leaves and flowers taste sweet, respectively, similar to lamb's lettuce and are good in salads or cottage cheese. Meadow clover is an ancient medicinal plant, and in agriculture it serves as an important fodder plant.

Description

The meadow clover is a perennial, herbaceous plant. It has roundish leaflets at the base, elongated at the top, with fine hairs on both sides, with a lighter spot in the middle and ovate stipules. The red clover reaches a height of 15 to 60 cm. It blooms from April to October and forms many-flowered, globular to ovoid spikey inflorescences. Subsequently, legumes are formed that are 1.5 to 4 mm long and up to 1 mm wide.

Location

Meadow clover is found in greasy meadows, fields and sparse forests. It prefers deep, fresh and nutrient-rich soils. Flowering time: April to September

Origin

The meadow clover is a native plant in our country, whose occurrence extends from Europe to Asia.

Source reference:

Meadow Clover Trifolium pratense Description Fact Sheet Systematics (pflanzen-deutschland.de).

Interesting facts

The spring gentian, also called Schusternagerl, belongs to the gentian family.

Description

The spring gentian is a perennial, herbaceous plant. It has a leaf rosette, the loosely standing stem leaves here are clearly smaller than the basic rosette. The stems are single-flowered, the corolla is bright dark blue and often has a white throat. Between the flower lobes there are small protruding gullet teeth.

Location

This plant thrives in sunny alpine meadows in the European mountains. It is also native to the Carpathian Mountains. It likes dry, lean and calcareous soil. It is widespread at altitudes up to 2,600m. Flowering time: April to June

Origin

Gentians are found in temperate zones in the northern and southern hemispheres. Their habitat ranges from the coast to forests and high mountains. In Central Europe, about 35 gentian species are known, which are mainly found in the alpine region.

Nature conservation

All native gentian species are under nature protection.

Source reference:

Spring Gentian Gentiana verna description fact sheet systematics (pflanzen-deutschland.de).

Things to know

The troll flower, also known as the buttercup, is a buttercup.

Did you know that the European troll flower is the only species of troll flower native to Europe?

Description

Troll flower is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches growth heights of 20 to 60 centimeters. It has a rhizome as a storage organ, from which one or more stems arise. These and also the deeply divided leaves are completely hairless.

Very characteristic is the flower in the form of a sphere. The perianth is inclined together, and is followed by special nectar leaves with nectar glands at the base. After fertilization, the characteristic bellows fruits develop from the many free carpels.

Location

These flowers are found along springs, streams and bogs. The soil quality here is moist, fresh and wet. Flowering time: May to June

Origin

The troll flower is found in Europe and Western Siberia.

Nature conservation

The troll flower is endangered in population nationwide and is therefore protected.

Source reference:

Troll flower (heilkraeuter.de).

European troll flower - Identifying grasses & herbs - Heumilch