Arnica in the garden

[MarisaGStudent]

Hi Doc, I saw that you grow Arnica in your garden!? do you live so far up in the mountains? :scared: Here Arnica grows only above 1000 mt and is a protected species so I cannot just harvest that. I would like to grow it myself but… I live at 500 mt.

I have read that Arnica Montana and Angustifolia have the same properties, but do you happen to know if the Angustifolia grows at a lower altitude? Which species do you grow?

many thanks!

Marisa from Italy

[IdahoHerbalist]

Most plants have an amazing ability to adapt to new climates and even soil types. When I want to grow something I buy a little seed or a couple of plants and try them. I am successful in the vast majority of cases. Goldenseal is one of the only ones I have not been particularly successful with. It went three years before dying out.

If you have access to plants I would say try them and see what happens! Experiment and share your experiences.

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

Arnica prefers higher elevations in nature but does fine elsewhere. It will probably be perfectly happy at your place.

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[MarisaGStudentTopic Author]

Hi Doc, you know what? I found arnica seeds and they have actually grown to a beautiful plant! No flowers yet, I think it has to adapt for a while before blooming, but I wait for them this year!

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

MarisaG wrote: Hi Doc, you know what? I found arnica seeds and they have actually grown to a beautiful plant! No flowers yet, I think it has to adapt for a while before blooming, but I wait for them this year!

Glad they’re happy Marisa. Remember not to take them internally. We don’t want you to get dead. They make a wonderful liniment though. 🙂

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[MarisaGStudentTopic Author]

sure thing!

:confused: but the Arnica does not flower at all. it’s 3 years I have planted it, plenty of leaves and no flower. I am afraid it’s too hot in the summer and she doesn’t really like it, but she doesn’t want to disappoint me by dying. So she stays there, but makes no flowers 🙁

But I read that we are entring a Grand Solar Minimum, so if temperatures will go down like in the 1700s when there was the “year without Summer”, at least I will have some arnica flowers hahahaha :woot:

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

MarisaG post_id=6228 time=1606506239 user_id=5805 wrote:
sure thing!

:confused: but the Arnica does not flower at all. it’s 3 years I have planted it, plenty of leaves and no flower. I am afraid it’s too hot in the summer and she doesn’t really like it, but she doesn’t want to disappoint me by dying. So she stays there, but makes no flowers 🙁

But I read that we are entring a Grand Solar Minimum, so if temperatures will go down like in the 1700s when there was the “year without Summer”, at least I will have some arnica flowers hahahaha :woot:

I wonder if they’d be happier if you put a shade over them that would kick in in the afternoon???

The leaves make a good liniment too, just not as pretty.

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[MarisaGStudentTopic Author]

Finally after three years of just leaves, here comes the sun… hem I mean the flowers!!!

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