Leontopodium discolor, known as Ezo-usuyuki-sō or Rebun-usuyuki-sō in Japan, is a species of Edelweiss

Edelweiss

Edelweiss , Leontopodium alpinum, is a well-known European mountain flower, belonging to the sunflower family.-Names:The common name comes from German edel, meaning "noble", and weiß "white", thus signifying "noble whiteness".The scientific name Leontopodium is a Latin adaptation of Greek...

 native to alpine areas of Hokkaidō

Hokkaido

, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...

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Description

Leontopodium discolor is a perennial with white flowers that grows 15–30 cm in height. It is a hermaphrodite

Hermaphrodite

In biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes.Many taxonomic groups of animals do not have separate sexes. In these groups, hermaphroditism is a normal condition, enabling a form of sexual reproduction in which both...

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Status on Japanese red list

The plant is in the endangered

Endangered species

An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...

 category on the red list of threatened plants of Japan.

Distribution

Leontopodium discolor can be found in East Asia, Southeast China, Japan, and Korea.

Ecology

Leontopodium discolor is found in alpine environments in moist stony soils and scree

Scree

Scree, also called talus, is a term given to an accumulation of broken rock fragments at the base of crags, mountain cliffs, or valley shoulders. Landforms associated with these materials are sometimes called scree slopes or talus piles...

. Insects pollinate its flowers. The flowers bloom from July to September.

Cultivation

Leontopodium discolor requires full sun. The soil must be moist, well-drained, and gritty. The soil can be alkaline or circumneutral as long as it is not too fertile. The plant is hardy to zone 6. In places with wet winters, it is susceptible to root rot

Root rot

Root rot is a condition found in both indoor and outdoor plants, although more common in indoor plants with poor drainage. As the name states, the roots of the plant rot. Usually, this is a result of overwatering. In houseplants, it is a very common problem, and is slightly less common in outdoor...

and should be protected with a collar of grit and sheltered from the prevailing winds.

Uses

The young leaves can be eaten when cooked. Plants For A Future assigns an edibility rating of 1.

External links

• Asteraceae Leontopodium discolor Beauverd on the International Plant Names Index