ARNICA DES PLAINES OR AMERICAN AB
Arnica chamissonis
Hardy perennial with yellow flowers, very similar to Arnica montana, whose flowers and roots are used in the form of tincture, oil, and poultice to soothe knocks and sprains. Flowers from July to September. Harvest the flowers as soon as they begin to bloom, and dry them gently and quickly to preserve their properties. Prefers well-drained, cool, rather acidic soils and a sunny exposure. Height: approx. 50-60 cm. Resistant to cold (-20°C) and drought. Easier to grow than Arnica montana. Prune after flowering. Inedible plant. Successfully sowing arnica Arnica is not an easy species to grow. Sow arnica from mid-February (under cover) until April in pots in a mixture of peat, sand, and heather soil at 10 to 20°C. Cover the seeds very lightly. Water with non-calcareous water and keep the substrate moist until emergence. Germination occurs in about 20 days. After 1 to 2 months, gently transplant the seedlings into pots of fresh, moist soil. Growing Arnica Arnica will thrive in full sun or partial shade. Very hardy, it will tolerate temperatures down to -20°C but will not thrive in windy locations. Plant arnica in light, acidic, siliceous, moist, and well-drained soil, leaving 50 cm between plants; otherwise, it will have great difficulty growing. If your soil is not rich enough, add potting soil and heather soil. Do not add fertilizer. Water initially, then water moderately at the base. Mulch. Cut the flowers after flowering and cut back the stems slightly. Flowering and harvesting arnica The flowers are harvested from June to September. Flowers may not appear until the second year.
