# marsh marigold (*Caltha palustris*) Marsh marigolds are bright yellow flowers that bloom in wet areas. They look like little suns shining in the marshes and are loved by many insects. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 35 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![marsh marigold](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426169/objects/991.jpg) ## Appearance The marsh marigold has bright, waxy, cup-shaped yellow flowers, often with 5-9 petals. Its glossy, kidney-shaped leaves are vibrant green, forming dense clumps close to the ground. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ranunculales - **Family:** Ranunculaceae - **Genus:** Caltha ## Interesting facts - Its bright yellow petals reflect light, warming its flowers like tiny sun-collectors! - Its scientific name, Caltha, means 'goblet' or 'cup' in Greek! - Pickled marsh marigold flower buds were once eaten like capers! - These sunny flowers are not true marigolds; they're buttercup family! ## Special abilities - **Wet Feet Power:** Marsh marigold has special roots that can handle standing water, helping it thrive in soggy soil where other plants would drown. - **Early Bloom Burst:** It can flower very early in spring, giving it a head start attracting pollinators before many other plants wake up. - **Floating Seed Travel:** Its seeds can float on water, allowing them to travel to and colonize new wet areas for reproduction. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 15-60 cm - **Spread:** 20-40 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Early spring to summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — A key pollinator for early spring blooms. - **Pollinates:** Common hoverfly (*Syrphus ribesii*) — Larvae eat aphids, adults pollinate flowers. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [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. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Don't touch or eat any plants without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify marsh marigold? 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 marsh marigold? 15-60 cm ### How wide does marsh marigold spread? 20-40 cm ### How big are the flowers on marsh marigold? 2-5 cm ### When does marsh marigold bloom? Early spring to summer ### Is marsh marigold edible? No ### Is marsh marigold toxic? Mild ### What is marsh marigold's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Chenango Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chenango-canal) — New York, US · Historic Site - [Five Channels Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/five-channels-dam) — Michigan, US · Historic Site - [Green Animals Topiary Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/green-animals-topiary-garden) — Rhode Island, US · Botanical Garden - [Minnesota Landscape Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/minnesota-landscape-arboretum) — Minnesota, US · Botanical Garden - [Salem Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/salem-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [William O'Brien State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/william-obrien-state-park) — Minnesota, US · State Park [View all places to see marsh marigold](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/marsh-marigold) ## Watch - [Play video: marsh marigold](https://www.snappit.app/videos/marsh-marigold) - [YouTube](https://youtube.com/watch?v=aKdVQIo50EI) ## 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*) --- Source: [Marsh Marigold: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/marsh-marigold)