The Aahs of Arnica

LOOK AT HERBS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SUCH AS ARNICA IN MID-SPRING.

- BY BEVIN COHEN

The bold, bright, yellow flowers of Arnica (Arnica spp.) begin to appear in mid-spring, scattering their cheerful colors around meadows and open forest floors. This glorious spring bloom is a sight to behold! That is, if you're lucky enough to live in an area that wild arnica chooses to call home.

The arnica species most people are likely familiar with is Arnica mon-tana, a European native that thrives in high elevations up to 9,000 feet above sea level. Uses for this herb have been well documented in various herbal literature. In North America, there are a handful of arnica species available to the forager, although, much like their European cousins, they typically reside in high-altitude areas in the western and northern parts of the continent.

In Michigan, where I homestead, there is one wild species of arnica, Arnica cordifolia, also known as heartleaf arnica. Its habitat is limited to the northernmost areas of the state and the plant is considered endangered and so is under legal protection.

This means that not only do I miss out on the excitement of spring's annual arnica flower show, but I'm also unable to gather this valuable herb from the wild; if I want to work with arnica, I need to cultivate it in my garden.

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