Swiss botanists hope for pot luck with new Edelweiss

0 Comments | AFP, January, 2008

GENEVA (AFP) — Asterix and Obelix had to scale snow-capped peaks to find it, but Swiss botanists said Monday they have created a variety of the famous Edelweiss flower that is literally more down-to-earth.

The silver-starred Alpine flower usually only grows between 1,800 and 3,000 metres above sea level (5,905-9,842 feet), but researchers at the Agroscope Changins-Waedenswil institute in southwestern Switzerland have developed a longer-stemmed version that can be grown in soil or a household pot.

The new variety of Edelweiss has a stem measuring between 20-30 centimeters (8-12 inches) but work is continuing in the hope of making them even longer and thus more conducive to commercial production, institute official Celine Gilli told AFP.

"We would like it to...