The White Asphodel

The “White Asphodel”, Asphodelus albus, belongs to the grass tree family, the Xanthorrhoeaceae. This warmth-loving species comes from the mediterranean zones of southern Europe, as well as from the western Balkan-Region, it grows in stony, dry mountain meadows to partly shaded woody areas.
In Switzerland we can find it in the Rhone Valley and southern Ticino. It is an imposing perennial that can grow up to 100 cm tall.The thickened roots of the Asphodel used to be placed in bread dough and baked with it. However, they are poisonous when eaten raw.
In ancient times, it was considered a mourning plant and was intended to serve the dead as food for the journey to the realm of the dead.

The Ladyslippers are in full flower

If there is a queen of the lady’s slippers then it is probably Cypripedium tibeticum, of which there are 4 subspecies and many color variations. There are also natural and artificial hybrids, which equals breeds. Their occurens extends from eastern Tibet to neighboring Yunnan, Sichuan and Gansu
and Nepal. It also stretches to northern Bhutan and the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. The plants grow to a maximum height of 35 cm. They bear strikingly large flowers, with fine veining, ranging in color from red to black-red, maroon and yellow shades.
Our native lady’s slipper, Cypripedium calceolus, is still blooming in the Guggerbach Valley Alpinum. All the orchids, even the inconspicuous ones, and those that are now in their hundreds in the meadows, growing along the pathways and trails are protected by law. Any picking is prohibited by law.

The Guggerbachtal-Alpinum open again

The coveted meconopsis (false poppies) begin to flower.

The false poppies are very popular in the garden world, but tricky fellows. They all come from great heights, up to over 6000 m above sea level in the Himalayas. In the garden you need similar requirements as in the distribution area. They grow on mineral mostly acidic, silicate soils, with deep limestone. For this they need enough moisture and high UV radiation, especially during their vegetative growth. The best known false poppies are the blue flowering species. But there are also species that bloom pink, red, violet, white and yellow. Some are dwarfs, only 10 cm tall, others reach up to 180 cm. About 45 species are known, of which there are short-lived and long-lived. The short-lived are mostly monocarpic. This means they flower only once in their life and survive by self seeding. Most monocarpic species flower in the second or third year after sowing. But if the weather doesn’t suit them, they like to push the flowers a little ahead of them and bloom a year or two later.