Caltha palustris Marsh Marigold
General
A fleshy, herbaceous plant which grows in shady, wet conditions. Often found in swamps, wet woods, and along streams. In the Northeast, marsh marigold is one of the earliest herbaceous plants to sprout in the spring. It has very showy, yellow flowers that attract a wide variety of insects. Due to the cup-like shape of its seed pods, seeds are often dispersed by rain drops pinging them out into the water or mud below. Young leaves and buds may be boiled and eaten in moderation but can be toxic if not properly prepared or if large quantities are consumed.
Plant Description
A succulent plant with broad, heart-shaped leaves, hollow stems, and which grows in a clumping habit. Flowers are yellow and buttercup-like.
Height (ft)
1-2
Soil moisture
Wet or standing water
Soil types
Muddy, rich, acidic soils
Wetland indicator
OBL
Shade tolerance
Intolerant, Full Sun
Bloom color
Yellow
Bloom period
Early Spring
Drought tolerance
None
Salinity tolerance
None
Distribution
Occurs throughout the New England, the Mid-Atlantic states, and Canada, south to North Carolina, west to Kansas, and throughout the west coast of the United States.
Additional information
Brown, Lauren. Grasses: An Identification Guide. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York City, 1979. LINK
Fassett, Norman C. A Manual of Aquatic Plants, First Edition. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York and London, 1940. LINK
Garbisch, Edgar W., and McIninch, Suzanne M. Propagation of Wetland Plants: Herbaceous Plants, Shrubs and Trees. Environmental Concern, Inc. 2003. LINK
Harris, James G., and Harris, Melinda Woolf. Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary, Second Edition. Spring Lake Publishing, Spring Lake, Utah. 2011. LINK
Hitchcock, A.S., and Chase, Agnes. Manual of the Grasses of the United States, Second Edition, Volume I. Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1971. LINK
Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. North American Plant Atlas. (http://bonap.net/napa). Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press) LINK
McKenny, Margaret and Peterson, Roger Tory. A Field Guide to Wildflowers of Northeastern and North-central North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1968. LINK
Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb's Wildflower Guide. Laurence Newcomb, Mexico. 1977. LINK
USDA, NRCS. 2021. PLANTS Database (https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/, 08/20/2021). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA. LINK
