Content
Marsh marigold is a plant with valuable decorative characteristics and medicinal properties. Before planting a perennial in the country, you need to study its varieties and characteristics.
Botanical description of marigold
Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) is a herbaceous perennial from the Ranunculaceae family, up to 40 cm tall. It has a straight and thick juicy hollow stem, branched closer to the top. The photo of the marsh marigold shows that the leaves of the plant are leathery, whole, arranged in a regular order, and very large at the roots.
The surface plates of the marigold are dark green; the underwater plates can be red-violet.
What marigold flowers look like
The plant blooms with numerous flowers, collected in rare inflorescences, twice per season - in April and May and in autumn. Each of the buds reaches up to 4 cm in diameter. A photo of the color of marigold demonstrates that the plant has a rich golden-yellow hue during the decorative period. In September, the perennial bears fruit - dry leaflets with black shiny seeds.
The petals of the marigold plant have a lacquered sheen.
Distribution area
The plant is distinguished by its endurance and winter hardiness. You can see it in the European part of Russia and the Caucasus, in Siberia and the Far East, in Central Asia. The perennial is often found in swamps and along the banks of lakes and rivers. Marigold's adaptation to water allows it to grow directly in ponds and streams at a depth of about 20 cm.
Description of the marsh marigold
To evaluate the properties of a plant, you need to become familiar with its unique characteristics. The latter include not only external features, but also application options.
What flowers are similar to marsh marigold?
In the absence of experience, perennials can be confused with other plants. Marigold looks like:
- spring forest poppy;
You can distinguish spring poppies by the shape of their leaves.
- caustic buttercup;
Unlike marigold, caustic buttercup has thin dissected leaves
- European swimsuit;
The European swimmer has a more complex bud structure than the marigold
- spring adonis;
The leaves of spring Adonis are very small and thin
- spring cleaner;
The petals of the spring clear are longer and narrower than those of the marigold.
- buttercup anemone.
You can recognize buttercup anemone by its palmately dissected leaves.
It is easy to distinguish plants from each other if you carefully study the photos and descriptions of the species in advance.
Degree of toxicity
Marigold belongs to the category of poisonous plants - all its parts are toxic when fresh. The sap of the perennial produces an unpleasant odor and has a very sour taste. Animals grazing near swamps and ponds do not eat grass.
The plant contains palustrolide and epicaltolide, as well as a large number of alkaloids, coumarins, and protoanemonins. Careless consumption of fresh marigold leads to intoxication.
Signs of poisoning
Symptoms of poisoning appear on average two hours after eating the plant. Intoxication can be expressed by severe weakness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Some patients experience increased urination.
If you are poisoned by a plant, you need to drink plenty of plain water and artificially induce vomiting to cleanse the stomach. After this, you should take activated carbon and go to a medical facility.
The sap of the plant also causes irritation if it comes into contact with the skin. In this case, the affected area should be washed with warm water, and then take one of the antihistamines.
Medicinal properties of marsh marigold
Despite its toxicity, the plant has medicinal properties. Saponins in the perennial are beneficial in the treatment of cough and bronchitis. Flavonoids in the grass and roots have a beneficial effect on blood vessels, even out heart rate and stabilize blood pressure. The plant is taken for inflammation and pain relief.
In small dosages, marigold is used to prevent cancer.
Use in folk medicine
Traditional medicine offers several recipes based on the perennial plant.When using medicinal products, it is very important to follow the recommended dosages and rules of administration.
Decoction for colds
For acute respiratory viral infections and influenza, traditional medicine recommends the use of the following perennial-based remedy:
- the roots of the plant are crushed in the volume of a small spoon;
- pour 250 ml of water;
- Boil in an enamel bowl, covered, for half an hour over low heat.
The product is cooled and passed through cheesecloth, squeezing out the raw materials. The resulting liquid is topped up with clean water to the original volume and taken four times a day, a large spoonful. The plant-based medicine should be taken on a full stomach.
For prostatitis
The roots of the medicinal plant relieve inflammation in prostatitis. The healing remedy is done like this:
- 1/2 small spoon of chopped rhizomes is poured into a glass of water;
- boil over medium heat for five minutes;
- remove from the stove and leave for another hour.
The strained drug is taken up to four times a day, 1/4 cup, and treatment is continued for up to three weeks.
A decoction of marigold root has analgesic properties.
For fever
An infusion of the plant's leaves helps to cope with heat and fever. It is prepared like this:
- a small spoon of raw material is poured with 200 ml of boiling water;
- keep covered for an hour;
- filter through cheesecloth.
Take 1/3 cup three times a day with food.
Collection and procurement of raw materials
Harvesting marigold roots is carried out in late autumn, shortly before the cold weather, when the plant finally fades. Leaves and stems are collected in the spring at the beginning of the buds opening.Any parts of the plant are first washed in cold water and then dried in fresh air or in an oven at 45 ° C until the moisture has completely evaporated.
Raw materials must be stored in paper bags or glass containers in a dark place with low humidity. The harvested plant retains its medicinal properties for two years.
Use in cooking
The perennial, subject to careful culinary processing, can be used in the preparation of edible dishes. The buds of the plant are used to make a marinade for fish and meat, and leaves are added to soups to improve the taste.
There is a recipe for marigold in Korean. The herb is first soaked in water for at least a day, changing the liquid periodically, and then boiled and mixed with sugar, garlic, spices, fried onions and soy sauce. A plant-based dish is especially tasty when you add nuts, sesame seeds and any greens. You can use it, including to improve appetite.
Another recipe suggests preparing capers from the buds of the plant. In this case, unopened flowers are pickled in vinegar with soda, pepper and spices.
Other types and varieties
Marigold is represented not only by the marsh variety, but also by other wild and garden forms. It is interesting to study their photos and main features.
Terry marigold
Terry marsh marigold Pleno (Caltha Palustris Flore Pleno) is an ornamental garden form of the plant. It is distinguished by its miniature dimensions and rises only 25 cm above the ground, developing much more slowly than the wild variety. Of interest are photos of marigold flowers that bloom on shoots in May. The buds are large, terry in structure and bright yellow, hanging from the bush to the sides in voluminous clusters.
The flower structure of the terry Plena variety is more complex than that of wild species
Membranous
Membranous marigold (Caltha membranacea) rises an average of 30 cm, has large dark green leaves on long petioles. In spring the plant bears numerous small bright yellow flowers.
More than 20 flowers can bloom simultaneously on one membranous marigold.
Thin-petalled
Marigold (Caltha leptosepala) is a short herb with a straight, smooth stem. It has dark green leaves on petioles up to 25 cm. Photos of the marigold plant show that the buds of the species are white, small, up to 2 cm in diameter, and two can be located on one peduncle at once.
Thin-petaled marigold grows on average up to 35 cm
Swimming marigold
Floating marigold (Caltha natans) is a miniature variety with white flowers up to 4 cm in diameter. The leaf plates of the plant are round, with a smooth edge, about 3 cm wide, and float on the surface of the water.
Floating marigold is often used to decorate ponds
Lesnaya
Forest marigold (Caltha sylvestris) is a tall species and can reach 1.5 m. The leaves of the plant are round or kidney-shaped, up to 15 cm wide. The flowers are yellow, small, appear in April and May.
Forest marigold buds are collected in inflorescences of up to 15 pieces
Fillet marigold
Marigold (Caltha fistulosa) reaches 1.2 m above the ground by the time the seeds ripen, although during flowering it rises to only 30 cm. The stem of the plant is thick, the leaves are large and leathery, up to 15 cm in diameter. Yellow marigold blooms at the end of May with medium-sized buds that abundantly cover the bush.
Loose marigold flowers reach 7 cm in diameter
Two-flowered
Two-flowered marigold (Caltha biflora) is a compact shrub only about 10 cm tall. The plant has smooth heart-shaped leaves up to 7 cm in diameter; in May it bears white small buds rising on long peduncles.
The homeland of the two-flowered species is North America
Application in landscape design
The perennial loves a large amount of moisture, so it is usually used in swampy areas and in places close to groundwater. The plant is used:
- for decorating the banks of reservoirs;
Marigold well emphasizes the line of streams and ponds in the garden
- for planting in artistic compositions imitating a forest clearing;
Marigold looks good in densely shaded areas of the garden
- for placement directly on the surface of the water;
Using marigolds you can romantically decorate an artificial lake in the garden
Marigold looks attractive next to ferns and irises, loosestrife and delphinium. It can be planted next to lungwort, bergenia, swimsuit and hosta. Plants will be able to bloom one after another, and the decorative effect of the flowerbed will be maintained continuously.
Features of reproduction
The herbaceous plant is propagated both by seeds and by vegetative methods:
- Dividing the bush. An adult specimen is dug up in early spring or in September after flowering and the root is cut into several parts with a sharpened shovel. Delenki are planted in selected areas of the garden. After the procedure, the plant will only need to be shaded and watered well. It tolerates division well and quickly takes root in a new place.
- Seeds. In spring or autumn, planting material is first placed in cold temperatures down to 10 °C for 30 days, and then germinated for another two months at a temperature of about 20 °C. After this, young plants can be planted in open ground; they will be able to bloom in three years.
- By layering. The fastest way is to bend a perennial stem with a leaf bud to the ground, fix it and regularly moisten it for several weeks. When the shoot takes root, it can be separated from the mother plant and moved to a new location.
To propagate marigolds, they usually use bush division - the fastest way to get results is
The marsh marigold has good hardiness and can be easily propagated by any means.
Landing rules
It is recommended to plant the plant in open ground in early spring or early autumn. The crop needs fertile, abundantly moist soil. The perennial is capable of growing both in open sunny places and in the shade under the cover of deciduous trees.
To plant marigold in a selected area, you need to dig a small hole twice the size of the plant's roots. If necessary, dry soil is diluted with clay, peat and humus. The seedling is lowered into the hole and its roots are covered with soil, and then the soil is lightly pressed down at the stem. At first, the perennial must be shaded on the south side from sunlight and stable watering must be ensured.
When planted near water, marigold does not require frequent watering even in hot weather
Features of care
Planting and caring for terry marigold is not particularly difficult.The gardener only needs to worry about regularly moistening the soil in the summer. From time to time, it is recommended to loosen the soil at the roots of the perennial and remove weeds.
Plants are fertilized three times per season - at the beginning of spring, during the flowering period and in mid-summer. You need to use complex mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Every 3-4 years, the perennial is replanted by dividing the rhizome, as it grows and gradually loses its decorative effect.
The hardy marsh marigold does not need winter shelter. But if desired, shortly before the onset of cold weather, the plant in the ground can be covered with fallen leaves. This will insulate the root system and protect it from frost.
Pests and diseases
In general, the perennial plant is considered resistant to diseases and pests. But since it chooses moist areas to live, sometimes leaves and shoots can suffer from fungi.
- Rust. The disease can be recognized by the tarnishing of the plates and the appearance of brown spots of varying sizes.
Rust responds well to treatment with copper sulfate
- Powdery mildew. The lower plates of the plant are the first to suffer from the disease, then the light spots spread to the upper parts.
Powdery mildew fungus leaves a white coating with clear droplets on the leaves
You can get rid of marigold diseases with the help of Fundazol and the biological products Gamair and Fitosporin-M. The plant is treated in accordance with the instructions several times a season at intervals of 2-3 weeks.
Pests rarely attack marsh marigold. Sometimes the perennial suffers from flies that lay eggs on succulent leaf blades. You can get rid of insects using a mild soap solution.
After hatching, the fly larvae begin to eat the juicy greens of the marigold
Conclusion
Marsh marigold is a very beautiful, hardy and easy to propagate perennial flower. It can be planted in well-moistened areas and directly in water; the plant has medicinal properties. When using it, it is worth considering that marigold is poisonous; it can be used for medicinal purposes only in accordance with recipes.
