# Golden marguerite (*Cota tinctoria*)

The Golden marguerite is a bright yellow flower that loves to grow in sunny places. Its cheerful color can make any garden look happy and bright!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Golden marguerite](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/20170728Cota_tinctoria4.jpg&width=800)

Photo: AnRo0002, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20170728Cota_tinctoria4.jpg)

## Appearance

The Golden marguerite has bright, sunny yellow daisy-like flowers with many slender petals radiating from a prominent central disk. Its delicate, fern-like green leaves provide a soft contrast to the cheerful blooms, making it stand out in fields and gardens.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Asterales
- **Family:** Asteraceae
- **Genus:** Cota

## Interesting facts

- Ancient healers once thought its bright yellow flowers could help cure jaundice!
- Golden marguerite is a tough plant that can survive chilly winter temperatures!
- Its delightful scent makes it a popular choice for crafting fragrant potpourri!
- This plant's strong roots can help prevent valuable soil from eroding on slopes and banks!

## Special abilities

- **Dye Power:** Golden marguerite has special pigments that allow it to be used as a natural dye, creating vibrant yellow colors for fabrics and textiles!
- **Pioneer Plant:** Golden marguerite can thrive in poor, disturbed soils, helping new ecosystems establish and grow where other plants might struggle to survive.
- **Self-Seeder:** Golden marguerite effectively self-seeds, allowing it to quickly spread and form cheerful patches in new sunny locations year after year.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 3-5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to early fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — gathers nectar and pollen from flowers
- **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — transfers pollen between plants as it feeds
- **Pollinates:** [Painted lady](https://www.snappit.app/explore/painted-lady) (*Vanessa cardui*) — visits flowers for nectar, aiding reproduction

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Dye](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/dye): This human use trait indicates species from which natural dyes can be extracted and used to color textiles, food, or other materials.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch flowers without asking an adult first.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Golden marguerite?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Golden marguerite?

30-90 cm

### How wide does Golden marguerite spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Golden marguerite?

3-5 cm

### When does Golden marguerite bloom?

Summer to early fall

### Is Golden marguerite edible?

No

### Is Golden marguerite toxic?

None

### What is Golden marguerite's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Golden marguerite: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-marguerite)