Caltha palustris

A showy wetland wildflower with shiny yellow blooms similar to those of a buttercup

Caltha palustris yellow marsh marigold

Plant grows in the wild/spontaneouslyPlant is native to PA Add to MyPlants

Marsh marigold is an erect, glabrous, semisucculent perennial herb with clusters of showy, shiny buttercup-like flowers. As the name 'marsh marigold' suggests, this plant inhabits a variety of wetlands such as marshes, swamps and damp woods.  The plant can grow up to 2.5 feet tall, although average height is around 20-25 inches.

The leaves of this plant are dark green, glossy, heart or kidney shaped with small teeth or no teeth around the margins.  Most of the leaves are basal  on long petioles.  Cauline(stem) leaves are alternate on shorter petioles.  The stems are thick, hollow, and branching. 

Flowers are visited by flies, ants and bees for pollen and nectar.  Syrphid hoverflies are the primary pollinators of marsh marigold flowers.

Common in wet open woods and meadows, marshes, swamps, and bogs.  Prefers full sun to light shade.

Present throughout the state.

Range: Newfoundland to Alaska,  and south to Nebraska, Tenesse and North Carolina.

Wetland codes
EMP: OBL
NCNE: OBL



Flowers April through early July.

Flowers  rise above leaves; 2 to 5 per stem on naked stalks; bright, shiny yellow with 5 petal-like sepals and highly visible veins radiating from the base.  Ring of many yellow stamens in the center.

Basal leaves  rounded or cordate, entire or crenate; petioles up to 20 cm.

Cauline leaves  alternate, with shorter petioles , otherwise similar to basal, reducing upward.

Stems  hollow, thick, branching

Fruits  divergent follicles, up to 14 mm long, short-beaked.  The follicle is initially green and erect, spreading out with age and turning light green-brown, releases many seeds.

Height  10 to 30 inches

Ficaria verna

is weedy and invasive

has 3 sepals and up to 12 petals while C. palustris has 5 to 9 petal-like sepals

plant is noticeably smaller than that of C. palustris

has single flower per stem, C. palustris has a cluster of flowers per base stem

fruit is an achene while C. palustris' fruit is a follicle

S-rank:  S5 (Secure)
G-rank:  G5 (Secure)

In folk medicine, the caustic juice of the plant was used to ease rheumatic pain and irritate warts away.

Wood ducks and other game birds feed on the seeds, although it is not their primary food source. The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract flies, ants and bees such as syrphid flies and honey bees. Some leaf beetles eat the plant's leaves.

Caltha palustris yellow marsh marigold

Plant grows in the wild/spontaneouslyPlant is native to PA
Caltha palustris gallery
Plant Life-Form
Common Names
yellow marsh marigold marsh marigold cowslip American cowslip kingcup