Leaf
Paul Fabre, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Marsh marigold
Caltha palustris L.
Also known as: Kingcup, Yellow marsh marigold
Family: Ranunculaceae
20 to 40 cm tall
Banks, garden ponds, wetlands
Flowering: March – May
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy to -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its brilliant yellow flowering at the water's edge in spring makes it an emblematic plant of garden ponds.
🍃 Leaves
Broad, rounded, heart-shaped, glossy green, fleshy
🌸 Flowers
Large, glossy bright yellow flowers, resembling big buttercups
🍎 Fruits
Follicles grouped in a star
🪵 Bark
Low clump, fleshy hollow stems
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, temperate Asia; common in wetlands, banks and ditches in France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Large, early, bright yellow flowers rich in nectar, important for the first bees and bumblebees of spring.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Pond edges, banks, damp borders; very conspicuous bright yellow spring flowering.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Toxic when fresh (protoanemonin, as in the buttercup family), irritant to the skin and the digestive mucous membranes.
🌿 Other Ranunculaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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