Mineral Wildflower Festival

Technical Name

Arnica mollis (or closely related Arnica species native to the region, such as Arnica amplexicaulis)

Informal Names

• Hairy arnica

• Cordilleran arnica

• Soft arnica

Key Characteristics

The Flower Head: Features daisy-like blossoms ranging from 1 to 2 inches across, consisting of 10 to 20 bright golden-yellow ray florets encircling a dense, slightly domed cluster of darker yellow central disc florets. The tips of the outer ray petals typically show three distinct miniature teeth.

Foliage: The leaves are spear-shaped (lanceolate) to oblong, arranged in distinct opposite pairs along the stem. They have a soft texture and are covered in short, fine hairs and glandular structures that can make them feel slightly tacky to the touch.

Growth Habit: An erect, unbranched or sparsely branched perennial herb arising from a creeping underground rhizome, usually growing between 8 to 24 inches tall.

Notable Significance

Medicinal Heritage: While mountain arnicas are toxic if ingested in quantity due to the compound helenalin, members of the Arnica genus have long been utilized in traditional and modern topical homeopathic preparations to soothe bruises, sprains, and muscle soreness.

Ecological Support: Serving as an essential high-summer food source in subalpine ecosystems, its flowers provide nectar to a vast array of native butterflies, hoverflies, and long-tongued bees.

Soil Stabilizer: Thanks to its running rhizomes, it forms interconnected colonies along steep slopes and watercourses, helping prevent soil erosion during intense spring snowmelts.

Locations Found

Habitat: Typically found in damp, sunny to partially shaded mountain habitats, including stream banks, wet meadows, seeps, and moist forest openings.

Elevation Range: Highly adapted to montane and subalpine zones, commonly appearing at elevations between 5,000 and 10,000 feet throughout the Cascade and Sierra Nevada ranges.