Botanical atlas

King of the Alps

Eritrichium nanum

Eritrichium nanum has no real history in the herbalist's cabinet. Its story instead belongs to mountaineers and alpine botanists, who for centuries have prized it as one of the most coveted sights in the high peaks, a jewel-blue flower found only where the air thins and few other plants dare root. Its common name, King of the Alps, reflects the near-mythic status it holds among rock gardeners and climbers, many of whom consider spotting or successfully growing it a lifetime achievement rather than a remedy to be gathered.

Safety.

This alpine wildflower has no history of culinary or medicinal use and, as a member of the borage family, may contain liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, so it shouldn't be ingested. It's also protected in much of its native range, so leave it undisturbed.