Smallhead arnica facts for kids

Arnica gracilis, also known as smallhead arnica, is a type of plant found in North America. It belongs to the sunflower family, which is a large group of flowering plants that includes sunflowers, daisies, and dandelions.

This plant grows naturally in western Canada, specifically in Alberta and British Columbia. It also lives in the northwestern United States, including states like Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and parts of Colorado and Utah.

What Smallhead Arnica Looks Like

Smallhead arnica is a small plant. It usually grows up to about 30 centimeters (or 12 inches) tall. This is roughly the length of a standard ruler.

Its Flowers

The flowers of the smallhead arnica are bright yellow. Like other plants in the sunflower family, its "flower heads" are actually made up of many tiny flowers. These tiny flowers are called florets.

There are two main kinds of florets in the flower head:

• Ray florets: These are the longer, petal-like flowers that you see around the edge of the flower head. They look like the "petals" of a daisy or sunflower.
• Disc florets: These are the small, tightly packed flowers in the center of the flower head. They form the "eye" of the flower.

Together, these ray and disc florets create the full, cheerful yellow flower head of the smallhead arnica.

Where Smallhead Arnica Grows

This plant prefers to grow in certain types of places. It is often found in mountainous areas. You might see it in open forests or meadows. It likes places where the soil is not too wet.

It is a hardy plant that can grow in different conditions within its native range. This range stretches from the cool mountains of Canada down to parts of the Rocky Mountains in the United States.