Caltha palustris

Caltha palustris | marsh marigold

Welcoming spring with the brightest, most cheerful yellow flowers, marsh marigold is reliably the first plant to flower in April at Tiny Meadow Farm. By late May, when some other native plants are still just barely emerging, marsh marigold is already producing its beautiful seed pods. Growing with a strong clumping habit, plants can reach 2’ tall and are common in natural areas, occurring locally along creeks and in wet areas. Adaptable to sun or shade, this species requires consistently moist (or wet) soils in spring, but often goes dormant after flowering so can withstand drier conditions later in the season. Marsh marigold can self-seed, but it is not an aggressive spreader like lesser celandine, a similar-looking invasive species. Best of all, deer and rabbit resistant!