Marigold Marsh

Botanical Name: Caltha palustris

Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup)

Other Names: Blughtan, bride of the sun, death flower, king cups, golden flower, horse blobs, lud y voaldyn, Mary buds, verrucaria, water blobs, water dragon

Habitat: Damp woods, marshy meadows, wet places

Description: Perennial herb 40cm/16in stout, hollow stems, partially creeping arising from a thick creeping rhizome Leaves dark green, kidney shaped Flowers: yellow sepals but no petals 5cm wide March –June Claw like seed pods

Native to: Europe, Asia

Cultivation: Wet soil can grow in water. Full or partial sun

Other Notes: The name goes back to Anglo-Saxon times when it was known as Marsh Gold

Often used in May day garlands

The folk names blughtan and lud y voaldyn are local names from the Isle of Man and it means the “herb of Beltane”

Magically it is used in jealousy spells

It is symbolic of cruelty in love and unhappiness

In Greek myth a girl named Caltha fell in love with the sun god but was melted by his rays and in her place grew the marigold

Cautions: Fresh plant mildly poisonous