Caltha palustris
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KAL-tha pal-US-triss
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Caltha palustris, or Marsh marigold, is a native rhizomatous herbaceous perennial in the buttercup (Ranuculaceae) family that can be found from Newfoundland to Alaska south to Nebraska, Tennessee and North Carolina. The common name, Marsh marigold, is misleading because it does not look like, nor is it related to, marigolds.
Marsh marigold is perfect for water gardens, pond edges, rain gardens, and wet, boggy areas in the landscape because it requires constant moisture and tolerates wet soil. It is an early bloomer in the spring with striking yellow flowers on tall, 12 to 18 inch, hollow, branching stems. For best flowering, you should site the plant in full sun, however, full sun in the summer may force the plant to go dormant. This can be rectified with a site that provides some afternoon shade in the summer. Marsh marigold is low maintenance, easy to grow, and will spread in your yard by seed or by division of rhizomes dug up in the fall and replanted in early spring.
It is listed as endangered on the North Carolina Protected Plant list.
Marsh marigold is deer resistant. It can also be a greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes. Caltha palustris can be confused with Ficaria verna and Geum radiatum. Ficaria is weedy, but Geum radiatum could be considered an alternative.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Susceptible to powdery mildew and rust.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Caltha
- Species:
- palustris
- Family:
- Ranunculaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- North America
- Distribution:
- Native locally in mountains; cultivated
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts hummingbirds and bees.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- deer resistant
- Edibility:
- Spring greens, in small quantities and properly prepared, for salads.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Water Plant
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Mounding
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Frequent Standing Water
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- Flowers give way to seed pods which split open when ripe to disperse the seeds within.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- Colored Sepals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- One to two inches in diameter with five to nine shiny waxy deep yellow petal-like sepals. Blooms in spring (April-June).
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Orbicular
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenulate
- Dentate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Long-stalked, roundish to cordate, basal heart-shaped leaves in the spring. Leaves achive mature size (4 inches long and 4 inches across) in summer well after flowering. Upper stem leaves are smaller and stalkless.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Branches regularly. The stems are hairless and hollow.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Rain Garden
- Water Garden
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Wet Soil
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- This plant can be toxic and ingesting large amounts of the plant's leaves can lead to burning of the throat, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, dizziness, fainting, and convulsions. No part of this plant should ever be eaten raw.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Protoanemonin
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Leaves
