Edleweiss in Switzerland

Who would have known Edleweiss would have been so popular after The Sound of Music, which was made famous by the Trapp Family in Austria. OR the famous Edleweiss Airlines.

Edelweiss is small white flower which has been a protected species in most of Switzerland since 1962. For the last ten years, Edelweiss has been grown commercially in Switzerland, mostly in the Valais because of its healing and cosmetic properties.

Who would have known Edleweiss would be used in the cosmetic industry for anti-wrinkle creams and sunscreen. Edelweiss is also reputedly good for digestion and has been used as a cure for diarrhoea in Valais for centuries. The trade in edelweiss is a lucrative one. The flower is five to six times more expensive than some of the other plants grown at the cooperative, such as mint and thyme.

So where to go look for the famous flower - Anywhere in the Valais.