Mountain arnica

About

Mountain arnica is one of the most well-known medicinal plants of the Carpathians. In Ukraine, it grows only here: on polonynas, mountain meadows, forest clearings, and edges, from about 500 m above sea level to the highest peaks. It is known in Chornohora, Svydovets, in the Marmarosh, Gorgany, and Beskids.

The plant is 20–60 cm tall. At the base, there is a rosette of two to four pairs of elongated leaves, and on the stem, there is only one or two pairs of small opposite leaves. The flower heads are large, 6–8 cm in diameter, golden-yellow or orange, with long ligulate flowers and slightly frayed edges. It blooms in June - July, and the fruits ripen in late July - August.

Arnica is closely linked to traditional farming: it thrives on polonynas that are mowed and grazed each year. If mowing and grazing stop, the meadows become overgrown with shrubs, and arnica disappears. At the same time, the perennial harvesting of flowers and rhizomes has depleted natural supplies.

Interestingly, mountain arnica was included in the Red Book of Ukraine in the 1996 edition, but it was excluded in 2009: according to experts, the harvesting at that time did not harm it, while the main threat was the overgrowth of polonynas. It is also absent from the current list of 2021. However, it is included in Annex V of the EU Habitats Directive, and in Poland, it is protected.

On the trail, it is better to simply admire arnica and take photos of it. In reserves and protected areas of national parks, such as the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, collecting it is prohibited.

Where in the Carpathians

The map shows where naturalists recorded the species (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records), not every place it lives. The Ukrainian Carpathians are less studied, so a blank area does not mean the species is absent. For rare and vulnerable species the map is deliberately coarse (hexagons of ~250 km² or more) so that it never points to dens, nests or growing sites.

Countries

Ukraine · Romania · Hungary · Czechia

Mountain ranges

Chornohora, Maramureș Mountains, Krasna Polonyna, Gorgany, Skole Beskids, Bihor-Vlădeasa Mountains, Rivna Polonyna, Hryniava Mountains, Pokuttia-Bukovina Carpathians, Watershed Ridge

Altitude belts

Beech forests (600–1200 m) · Conifer forests (1200–1600 m)

When to see it

From naturalists’ observations in the Carpathians (iNaturalist, research grade): the darker the cell, the more often the species is seen that month.

Safety

Mountain arnica is not consumed internally: the plant contains toxic helenalin. It may cause allergic reactions on the skin.

In folk tradition

In folk tradition, arnica flowers were used only for external remedies. It is not consumed internally.

Protection and rules

Since 2009, it is not included in the Red Book of Ukraine; collecting in reserves and protected areas of national parks is prohibited. Supplies are depleted — better to admire.

Red Data Book of Ukraine

FAQ