Native & pollinator plant · Growing guide

Marsh Marigold

Caltha palustris · Ranunculaceae family

Marsh Marigold is an upright native & pollinator plant grown for regional native gardens, pollinator habitat, and ecological planting. Use this guide to match its light, water, soil, space, seasonal care, and safety needs.

Guide status Exact ranges are a catalog starting point. Check the plant label, cultivar, region, and linked sources before planting.

Botanical field illustration of Marsh Marigold
Identity-specific botanical field illustration
Reliable light
Full to part sun
Water pattern
Consistent
Mature size
38 × 24 in
Final spacing
24 in
Season
perennial

Plant identity, types & settings

One plant guide. Clear details underneath.

Marsh Marigold is the plant identity. Container, landscape, cutting, indoor, hydroponic, and harvest labels describe ways to grow it; they are not additional plant or cultivar names.

Ways to grow it

These are garden or production settings—not cultivar names and not extra plants.

Growing context

Regional Straight Species

Verify that the species is native to the planting region and source nursery-propagated local material when available.

Mature size
38 × 24 in
Spacing
24 in
Container
5+ gal · 19+ in deep
Use this setup in the planner →

01 · Light & site

Give it the light its growth depends on.

Full to part sun, with roughly 4 to 7 hours of useful light. Perennial timing, dormancy, and winter survival are climate- and cultivar-specific.

02 · Water & soil

Keep roots supplied without trapping water.

Keep the active root zone evenly moist while preserving oxygen and drainage.

Soil
Loose, organic, species-appropriate garden soil
Drainage
Moist but drained
pH
Species-specific; verify the grower label and linked guidance

03 · Spacing & roots

Make room for the mature plant.

Space plants about 24 inches apart. Expect a mature plant around 38 inches tall by 24 inches wide.

moisture-tolerant fibrous, rhizomatous, or woody root system. Container figures are a planning floor, not a claim that long-term container culture is ideal.

04 · Start

Begin with the method that protects establishment.

Use the species-appropriate method—seed, cutting, division, bulb, tuber, or a healthy transplant—and follow the plant label for timing.

05 · Care

Support healthy growth through the season.

Usually self-supporting in a compatible plant community. Add a discreet stake only if wind, bloom weight, or an exposed site makes it necessary.

Upkeep
High
Feeding
Moderate
Watch for
Species-specific insects, Crowding-related disease, Moisture stress

06 · Flower or harvest

Flowering and wildlife value

180–730 days to the first expected harvest, bloom, or established display; perennials may need additional seasons to settle. Bloom timing and establishment vary with climate, plant provenance, and the exact species or cultivar; locally appropriate stock is the best reference.

07 · Safety

Know the cautions before you place or use it.

Toxic to peopleToxic to petsPregnancy cautionContact irritant
  • Toxic if ingested; keep away from children and pets.
  • Keep this plant away from pets and contact a veterinarian or poison-control service after suspected exposure.
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding safety may be uncertain or unfavorable; do not treat historical use as medical guidance.
  • Wear gloves and avoid eye contact when handling potentially irritating sap or foliage.

08 · Sources

Check the evidence behind the guide.

USDA NRCS PLANTS DatabaseAccepted scientific names, United States distribution, native status, and wetland statusOpen source ↗Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Native Plant DatabaseNorth American native-plant identity, habitat, light, moisture, size, and wildlife relationshipsOpen source ↗North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxPlant identity, form, landscape use, poisonous-plant cautions, and right-plant/right-place contextOpen source ↗

Guide record: Editorial review pending; generated 2026-08-10. Region, cultivar, regulations, and current product labels can change the right decision.

Working checklist

Marsh Marigold planting check