Lake Oeschinen with Alpine Roses

The summer is here in the Swiss Alps, many stunning flowers are in full bloom. On my last hike to Lake Oeschinen I was fortunate to see the bright pink Alpine Roses.

This is a beautiful area and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Jungfrau Aletsch.  Lake Oeschenen is a great starting point for hikes to the Blüemisalp. You get great views of the Doldenhorn and Fründenhorn which are popular mountaineering peaks of the Bernese Oberland.

Alpine Rose, Rhododendron ferrugineum

The Alpine Rose is a classic Swiss alpine flower. The colours range from soft to bright pink and it grows as a cluster of funnel shaped flowers.  Usually they bloom around June or July.

The plant is a small shrub that likes mountain slopes and open forest. They are typically seen at altitudes of around 1500m to 2500m.  As a member of the Ericaceae family, Alpine Roses are not thorny and aren’t related to the common Rose at all.  As a poisonous plant they are avoided by grazing animals.

I hope this gets you inspired to come hiking in the Swiss Alps with Alpine Dreams

Monika