Posted by
robertduval14 (Milford, New Hampshire - Zone 5b) on Sep 19, 2016 7:12 PM concerning plant:
National flower of the Faroe Islands.
Posted by
Mindy03 (Delta KY) on Feb 12, 2012 12:45 PM concerning plant:
Honey bees get nectar and pollen from this plant.
Posted by
mellielong (Lutz, Florida - Zone 9b) on Apr 23, 2015 11:51 AM concerning plant:
The book "How to Know the Wildflowers" (1922) by Mrs. William Starr Dana has some interesting information regarding this plant. Apparently, the marsh marigold is so abundant along certain English rivers that the ground looks as though it is paved in gold during the seasons when they overflow their banks. In the U.S. the author states the flowers are peddled on the streets every spring under the name "cowslip" but attributes this to confusion regarding English names. (That's why real gardeners use Latin!) She claims the plant is a favorite "pot-herb" among country people, supposedly far superior to spinach. The young buds are also quite palatable, she says. (Note: Do not eat things if you don't know that they're safe.)
As for the name, this plant has many. She speaks of the plant being called "Mary Growles" in the 16th century, and by early English poets as simply "gold". She hypothesizes the first part of the word may derive from the Anglo-Saxon "mere", meaning a marsh. The author suggests "Marsh-Gold" to be a far superior name for this "shining flower of the marshes."
Posted by
SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Jan 19, 2012 10:13 AM concerning plant:
Marsh Marigold is a late spring bloomer for a sunny, moist area. Fifteen-inch mounded clumps of bright green, succulent, wavy-edged, rounded leaves produce bright yellow, shiny, 1 inch flowers that look like buttercups and are present from late spring to early summer. Marsh Marigold needs rich soil that never gets dry. If soil dries too much in the summer, the plant will go dormant. It will thrive in a wet sunny area.
Posted by
Cyclaminist (Minneapolis, Minnesota - Zone 5a) on May 3, 2015 1:58 AM concerning plant:
I planted this in a half whiskey barrel filled with compost to give it wet soil. It survived the winter, but lost its flower buds. Needs to be buried to protect it.