Arnica acaulis (Walter) Britton, Sterns, & Poggenburg. Common name: Leopard’s-bane, Southeastern Arnica. Phenology: Late Mar-Jun. Habitat: Longleaf pine savannas, longleaf pine sandhills, clayey or sandy oak and oak-pine woodlands, powerline rights-of-way, roadbanks. Distribution: DE (historical) and se. PA and MD (where on serpentine) south to Panhandle FL, on the Coastal Plain and lower Piedmont (rarely upper Piedmont, as in w. SC in the Blue Ridge Escarpment region).
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, Fl7, FNA21, G, GW2, K4, Pa, RAB, S, SE1, Tat, Va, WH3; = Doronicum acaule Walter — (basionym)
Links to other floras: = Arnica acaulis - FNA21
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: UPL
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
Heliophily ⓘ: 8
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect perennial from a rosette, found in pine savannas, sandhills, clayey or sandy woodlands, powerline rights-of-way and on road banks.
Stems: Stem arising from basal rosette, with a few branches especially in inflorescence, densely glandular-hairy.
Leaves: Basal leaves broadly elliptic to oval, 1 1/2-4 in. long, with 5-7 parallel veins prominent beneath, thick, densely furry above and less so beneath; a few smaller, opposite, ascending leaves occur on the stem.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) 2-30 at ends of branches; heads yellow, 1-2 in. wide, consisting of 10-15 ray florets with toothed tips encircling a central disk of tubular florets; a single series of hairy, green narrow, pointed bracts surround the base of each head.
Fruits:
Comments:
Height: 1-3 ft.
plant sale text: Common leopardbane is one of the first in the procession of yellow composites that grace piedmont roadsides from spring to fall. This one is a standout in that it blooms when many other sun loving perennials are still getting warmed up. Each sturdy stem features showy gold flowers and little to no foliage. The fuzzy leaves can be found in a rosette at the base of the plant. This is a great choice for garden spaces in need of season color.
bloom table text:
description: Erect perennial from a rosette, found in pine savannas, sandhills, clayey or sandy woodlands, powerline rights-of-way and on road banks.
stems: Stem arising from basal rosette, with a few branches especially in inflorescence, densely glandular-hairy.
leaves: Basal leaves broadly elliptic to oval, 1 1/2-4 in. long, with 5-7 parallel veins prominent beneath, thick, densely furry above and less so beneath; a few smaller, opposite, ascending leaves occur on the stem.
inflorescence:
flowers: Composite flowers (heads) 2-30 at ends of branches; heads yellow, 1-2 in. wide, consisting of 10-15 ray florets with toothed tips encircling a central disk of tubular florets; a single series of hairy, green narrow, pointed bracts surround the base of each head.
fruits:
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code: 1
native range: eastern & central North America