Alpenrose

Alpenrose is a bushy shrub commonly found at altitudes of 1,600 to 2,400m. It is a hardy plant which can survive harsh mountain winters, thanks to the thick covering of snow which protects it from the extreme cold. When it blooms in the spring, its clusters of bright pink flowers and bi-colored leaves are a spectacular sight. Alpenrose owes its survival and expansion in this hostile environment to a specific strategy—an effective means of “layering,” combined with the protective role its dead leaves play in acidifying the soil to eliminate competitive species.