The Arnica Montana is an herbaceous flowering plant, the plant is also known as “Wolf’s Bane” or “mountain tobacco”. The Arnica Montana is grown for its bright yellow flowers and medicinal purposes, used in skin ailments. Below is the plant profile:
USDA Hardness Zones: five to nine.
The Propagation Method: The Arnica Montana is propagated by seeds.
Difficulty: Very easy
The Soil Type: Slightly acidic to neutral
The Bloom Color: The bloom color is yellow
Arnica Montana Growing Habit
Arnica Montana grows up to 30 to 60 cm tall and it produces daisy like yellow flowers in summer, often grown as perennial, you can also grow the plant as annual. The Arnica Montana plant is native to mountainous regions of Central Europe and they are grown across the United State and Canada.
How to Grow Arnica Montana Plant
The Arnica Montana plant is hardy perennial in temperate climates, Arnica Montana grows easily from seed, but due to slow germination if you live in a climate with short summer it is better for you to find a potted plants or seedlings from a nursery.
Growing Arnica Montana Plant
Grow Arnica Montana in the USDA zones five to nine. This plant actually survives low winter temperatures.
Sow fresh Arnica Montana seeds outdoor in summer or adjust the time according to the required germination temperature, which is around fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit in the low nitrogen soil, at least an inch apart. You have to rake the soil lightly to make sure that the Arnica Montana seeds make good contact with the soil, then water thoroughly after sowing. The Arnica Montana seeds will germinate within a month. You can easily thin out the unhealthy seedlings as they grow, to reach a final gap of about ten to twelve inches between plants.
Arnica Montana Care and Requirements
Sun Requirement: Arnica Montana plant grows well in full sun, however they can enjoy the shade in the afternoon, most especially in warmer climates.
Soil Requirement: You have to prepare a suitable soil for growing Arnica Montana. The basic requirement for Arnica Montana plant is moist soil with good drainage. Arnica Montana plant tolerate poor soil, but they grow best in an equal mixture of clay, peat and sand. The plant prefers slightly acidic to neutral soil, and the soil pH should be around 5.5 to 7.3.
Watering: Water your Arnica Montana plant regularly so that the soil will stay moist, also ensures good drainage.
Fertilizing: Arnica Montana plant does not actually require supplemental fertilization.
Harvesting: The flowers blooms in summer, you can actually make beautiful cut flowers of them. If you want to use them for medicinal purposes you can easily collect the flowers as soon as they bloom in, air dry them and then keep them in air tight jar.
