Maples
Arnica montana
Arnica, also known as “mountain comfort,” has been recognized as a medicinal plant for centuries. It is traditionally used primarily as an external remedy for bruises, sprains, localized muscle pain, and rheumatic ailments. It is characterized by its yolk- to orange-yellow flowers and its growth in nutrient-poor mountain meadows, moors, and heathlands. Since wild arnica is highly endangered in many areas, it is protected in various regions. For its medicinal use, therefore, controlled cultivation, sustainable projects, and careful processing play a central role.
Profile
- Botanical name: Arnica montana L.
- German name: Arnica, Mountain Wellness
- Plant family: Asteraceae
- Occurrence: Scandinavia, northern Portugal, Spain, northern Italy, the Balkan countries, southern Russia, Central Asia, and the mountainous regions of Central Europe
- Location: low-calcium, acidic soils, open coniferous forests, bog and heath soils, unfertilized mountain meadows
- Elevation: approx. 600 to 2,700 meters
- Flowering period: June through July
- Part of the plant used: especially the flowers; depending on how it is prepared, the entire plant as well
- Usage: exclusively for external use and diluted
Arnica is a herbaceous, perennial plant. In the first year, a basal rosette with four to six oval-lanceolate, hairy leaves forms from the creeping rhizome. In the second year, a stem up to 50 centimeters tall with glandular hairs develops. The flower heads reach a diameter of about six to eight centimeters and are terminal.
The flowers are yolk-yellow to orange-yellow and have a distinctive, pleasant fragrance. The ray florets are irregularly curved backward, giving the plant its slightly disheveled appearance. The fruits have a bristly, yellowish pappus that aids in their dispersal. Arnica can also reproduce vegetatively via short root runners.