I don’t know about you, but whenever I go foraging for something in particular…I wind up gathering something completely different! This time was no exception—I went out specifically looking for spruce tips to make a spruce hydrosol, but then, lo and behold, I saw arnica flowers! And let me tell you, I’ve never actually found a large enough patch to harvest them before so spruce tips quickly got put on the back burner.

I was like a little kid looking for Easter eggs running around the mountain like a crazy person! 😂

Anyway, it was a glorious day to have found such a jackpot of goodness. I cannot wait to dry these babies and turn them into my very own arnica salve!

This information is provided for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. It is important that you do thorough research from multiple reliable sources before using herbs. While herbs are generally considered very safe there are exceptions. This is by no means a complete monograph of this particular herb. My intent is to peak your interest enough to begin a lifelong journey using herbs.

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Diving Deeper

Botanical Name

Arnica cordifolia (Heartleaf Arnica)

There are many species of arnica, so be sure to consult a local guidebook for the specific species that grow by you.

Family

Asteraceae (Daisy family)

Where it Grows

Heartleaf arnica can be found sprawling on both fertile and rocky floors of mountain canyons. It loves to nestle throughout mixed evergreen forests as well as aspen forests because they love the shade. They love to grow at elevations between 3,500 and 10,000 feet.

Parts Used

Leaves, flowers, and flowerbuds

When and How to Harvest

Begin gathering the leaves and flowers in early spring and continue on into the fall. Be sure to only harvest from an area where there are numerous arnica plants. Be mindful where you walk—arnica is notorious for being easily trampled and the root system is delicate because the roots are shallow.

The leaves, flowers, and flower buds can be pinched off with your fingers. Do so gently without tugging so you do not disrupt the shallow root system. If you are using the leaves, pick only 1 leaf per plant so the plant can continue growing.

Plant Properties

Antiinflammatory, nervine, stimulant

Energetics

Warming

Preparations used

Salve, cream, lotion, liniment, infused oil, poultice, soak.

Arnica is only used topically unless you are under the guidance of a trained herbalist. Ingesting large amounts of arnica has been known to cause dizziness, tremors, and heart irregularities. Arnica can also irritate the mucous membranes which can cause vomiting. Large doses could even be fatal. Do not apply arnica to broken skin or apply excessive heat after application.

Uses for arnica

Arnica is well known for helping to heal a myriad of topical conditions. Its active constituents bring circulation to the area it is applied by stimulating and dilating the blood vessels that are near the skin. This makes it extremely beneficial for bruised skin, strains, sprains, aches, pains, sore muscles from overexertion, insect bites, joint pain from rheumatism, and swelling from fractures.

Things to note

Arnica can cause allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to the daisy family. So use caution.

Some say that dried arnica is not as beneficial as fresh, however, I still find dried arnica to be a potent and valuable medicine that can be used to make all types of external applications. However, you will find that as you dry the arnica flowers it becomes quite fluffy because the seed pod breaks open.

Again, do not apply arnica to broken skin, or apply excessive heat, and never ingest arnica without the guidance of an herbalist.

Harvesting Sustainably

As mentioned above, arnica can easily be destroyed by over-harvesting and by disturbing the root system. Be mindful of that while out harvesting. Be sure to harvest in places you are welcome, and places that are away from polluted areas such as busy roads.

Put it into practice

One of the easiest ways to utilize arnica is by making your own infused oil. Learn how here.

Arnica Foot Soak

This is great after a long day on your feet. Simply add a handful of fresh or dried arnica leaves and/or flowers to a deep basin. Pour boiling water over the top and allow this to infuse and to cool enough for your feet to comfortably soak in the water. Enjoy soaking your feet for 15-30 minutes.

WHERE TO PURCHASE

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If you are unable to grow your own herbs, or find ingredients locally, then here are two of my favorite places to buy bulk ingredients:

This company is where I purchase the majority of my seeds. Great selection of heirloom and/or organic seeds:

Botanical Interests

These are hands down my favorite seed starting trays and pots. These are heavy duty and don’t crumple when you pop your plants out! Definitely worth the investment in my opinion.