GENZIANA

Gentian is a plant that depending on the species can also be evergreen, it generally develops on an elongated and thin stem, it has large leaves on which three obvious veins stand out, the flowers have a bell-shaped (funnel) and the color is most commonly light blue or dark blue, but can vary from white, ivory and yellow to red. The species with blue flowers predominate in the northern hemisphere, those with red flowers in the Andes; the white-flowered species are rarer, but more frequent in New Zealand. The first medicinal properties of the root of this flower were discovered between 180 and 168 BC: in ancient times the Greeks used gentian to fight fever, and even today many species are used for therapeutic and medicinal purposes. In the 16th century the species of gentian lutea, recognizable by the yellow color of its flowers, was used to cure the plague. Due to its constant use and continuous harvesting, in Italy, the species that grow in the Alps and in various areas of the Apennines are almost all protected and their harvesting is prohibited by law. In addition to its active ingredients that have a digestive and purifying action, gentian continues to be used, especially in France, as a flavoring in bitters or soft drinks. In the language of flowers and plants, it symbolizes determination, this meaning is due to the fact that the plant manages to grow and grow even in the most inaccessible places.

CICLAMINO

It is a genus of plants with the appearance of small tuberous herbaceous plants and delicate pink flowers with round tuberous roots. This genus of plants has been known since ancient times, in fact it was used by the Greeks as an ingredient to kill fish. They are plants whose perennial organ is a bulb, from which leaves and flowers grow, all basal, at each new season. Some botanists think that the variegated design of the upper part serves to mask the plant to reduce damage caused by grazing by herbivorous animals. Depending on the area and the species, the leaves may or may not be persistent; for example, the leaves of the species located in the Mediterranean areas may die during the hottest periods of summer (or in case of severe drought) to conserve water for the rest of the plant. Its seeds are dispersed by ants, among others, which eat the casing and discard the actual seed. The habitat for the alpine species are shady woods (mixed with beech woods), shrubs, grassy places on light soils, but also hornbeam woods, oak woods and birch woods; for the more southern species, they are holm oak and deciduous woods (such as chestnut woods). Cold tolerance depends on the species, the alpine ones can survive temperatures down to -30 °C (especially if covered by snow). In folk medicine, plants of this genus are indicated with the following properties: emmenagogue (regulates menstrual flow), vermifuge (eliminates intestinal worms) and purgative, but also with abortive properties. But everyone agrees in recommending moderate use as the roots are toxic.

ERICA

The name Erica derives from the Scandinavian male name Erik. Most species are represented by frutic or subshrubby shrubs from 20 cm to 1.5 m tall. The tallest species are Erica arborea and Erica scoparia which can reach even 6–7 m. All species are evergreen with small leaves and needle-leaves 2–15 mm long. Flower production is generally abundant and for this reason Erica plants are grown as ornamentals. The seeds are very small and in some species they can remain on the ground for decades. It is native to the mountainous areas of Europe, Africa and America, and is highly appreciated for its winter flowering, which gives color and vivacity to gardens during the colder months. Erica is an evergreen plant, and its bell-shaped flowers can be of various colors, from white to pink, to purple, depending on the species. The main beneficial properties of Erica are: Diuretic (promotes the elimination of uric acid, oxalic acid and urea), astringent and Antiseptic / Antibacterial of the urinary tract.

RODODENDRO

The Alpine rose or red rhododendron is a plant belonging to the Ericaceae family. It is an evergreen shrub that reaches a maximum height of 1.5 m with fragile erect or ascending branches and shiny, deep green leaves. The flowers are grouped in racemose corymb inflorescences with a central rachis on which the flower stalks are grafted. The corolla is generally bright pink (rarely white) with small yellow spots on the external surface. There are 5 petals, joined at the base and free at the end so as to give a bell-shaped and narrow shape to the flower. It is widespread in both southern and central-western Europe and populates the mountainous areas of Spain, Andorra, France, Switzerland, Austria and Germany. In Italy it is present in the Alps and the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. It is found in the moors of the subalpine belt. Plant that prefers siliceous and acidic substrates. It is a melliferous plant much visited by bees, both for the pollen and, above all, for the nectar, from which they obtain a valuable honey. It also seems that rhododendron contains molecules capable of lowering blood pressure. Furthermore, other active ingredients, if taken in low doses, could alleviate some painful symptoms by interfering with nervous activity, but at higher doses they can cause poisoning.

STELLA ALPINA

In Austria, Switzerland and Germany it is known in German as Edelweiss, which means noble white, because it takes effort and courage to harvest it, given the altitude at which it is found. The species of this group have a perennial herbaceous habit. The edelweiss is the queen of the Alps. A symbol of resilience and eternal youth, the star-shaped flower has anti-aging and antioxidant properties developed thanks to its natural adaptation to the Alpine environment. In traditional medicine, especially in the Tyrolean areas, the edelweiss has often been used to treat rheumatic pain, as an astringent and to cure coughs. Beautiful and velvety, it grows on sunny calcareous soils (meadows, pastures, rocks) from 1500 to 3200 meters above sea level. What appears to be a single flower is actually a complex structure: the true flowers are very tiny, gathered to form 5-8 small central flower heads (inflorescences), of a greenish yellow color; and what appear to be petals are actually woolly white floral leaves, radiant like a star. It is a perennial plant and its "hairs", filled with air, serve not so much to protect the plant from low temperatures, but to avoid excessive water loss and to protect it from the ultraviolet rays of the high mountain sun. The edelweiss plant rarely exceeds 15 cm in height, remains very small and during the autumn it dries up completely. Edelweiss is unfortunately a rare sight; the indiscriminate harvesting that they have suffered for a long time has greatly reduced their presence and today they represent a protected species.

It is forbidden to pick the flowers and uproot them from their natural environment.

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