An early-spring perennial with brilliant yellow buttercup-like flowers. One of the very earliest wetland flowers to bloom — sometimes through residual snow patches.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
Caltha palustris, known as marsh-marigold and kingcup, is a small to medium sized perennial herbaceous plant of the buttercup family, native to marshes, fens, ditches and wet woodland in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It flowers between April and August, dependent on altitude and latitude, but occasional flowers may occur at other times.
Source: Wikipedia — Caltha palustris Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Short plant with broad heart-shaped to round glossy dark green leaves on long stalks; clusters of brilliant golden-yellow buttercup-like flowers (5–9 sepals).
Similar species. Yellow buttercups (smaller flowers; lobed not round leaves). Lesser celandine (invasive; smaller flowers).
Voice. N/A
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. N/A — photosynthesis
Behavior. Among the earliest spring wildflowers in northern wetlands and seeps — often blooming through patches of melting snow. Brilliant gold "petals" are actually showy sepals (true petals absent). Contains acrid glucosides irritating to skin and toxic to livestock; long boiling neutralizes the toxin and historically the cooked greens were eaten as "cowslip greens" by early Americans.
§ Range
Across northern North America
§ Habitat
Wet meadows, marshes, stream banks
§ Threats
Wetland drainage, garden monocultures.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the marsh marigold is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Plant in wet garden corners. Support wetland protection.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Caltha palustris
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Caltha palustris
- iNaturalist · taxon 48604
- IUCN Red List — search for Caltha palustris
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Caltha palustris
§ Sources cited
- USDA Plants Database
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- New England Wild Flower Society
