Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) likes full sun to part shade. It can grow up to six to twelve inches tall and in wet soil to water that is six inches deep. Its generic name comes from the Greek “calathos” (a cup or goblet), describing the shape of its flowers; the specific name from Latin “palus” (a marsh), refers to its place of growth.
Sometimes called “cowslip”, this dark green plant resembles a giant buttercup and grows abundantly in marshes, watery meadows, swamps and along streams and banks.
The variety, “Alba”, has bright yellowish flowers of up to one to two inches that appear around April, while the “Plena” variety has large and gold, double flowers. The flowers are not real petals, but many sepals, which resemble petals. Masses of yellow stamens brighten the flower center.
Growing in shallow water and on small mounds, just above water, the green leaves come straight from the ground on long stalks. They are ovoid or kidney-shaped, large and glossy rounded and spread slowly, forming a mound of up to eighteen inches in width.
An easy plant to grow, you should fertilize it once or twice during the spring and early summer. It will die back when the weather gets hot and go dormant, but will return during the following spring. The flowers appear around April and bloom until mid June.
During the winter, it needs no particularly special care. It will stay sunken in a pond, near the bottom, surviving in the shallow water throughout the year. Freezing does not damage this plant.
Especially beautiful around water gardens, it can easily be divided into other plants after it finishes blooming.
Although the plant can be toxic to animals, especially cattle, it has been used medicinally in the past. All of the plant is an irritant, so it should be used, medicinally, with the advice of a qualified homeopathic or holistic practitioner or an Integrative physician.
The entire plant is an anodyne, antispasmodic, ant rheumatic, diuretic, diaphoretic, emetic, expectorant and rubefacient.
It has been utilized for removal of warts, the treatments of “fits” and anemia and sometimes in the treatment of colds. The root should be well cooked and the raw root should not be eaten or ingested. The flower buds, raw, cooked or even pickled have been used as a caper substitute. However, eating the raw flowers and buds may lead to intoxication.
The leaves have been cooked and eaten like spinach in two or more pots of water. Older leaves can be eaten before the plant has flowered, if they are very well cooked.
A poultice made from the boiled and mashed roots has been used to treat sores, while teas made from the leaves are utilized as a diuretic and a laxative.
All parts of the plant can irritate or blister the skin or mucous membranes.
Yellow dye has been gathered from the flowers and mixed with alum, but it is not permanent.
