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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 features.
Botanical description of marigold
Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) is a herbaceous perennial from the Buttercup 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 the next order, very large at the roots.
The surface plates of the marigold are dark green, the underwater ones can be red-violet
What do marigold flowers look like
The plant blooms with numerous flowers, collected in rare inflorescences, twice a season – in April and May and in autumn. Each of the buds reaches up to 4 cm in diameter. A photo of the marigold color 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 are characterized by a lacquer sheen
Distribution area
The plant is hardy and winter hardy. You can see it in the European part of Our Country and in 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. Adaptation of marigold to water allows it to grow directly in ponds and streams at a depth of about 20 cm.
Description of the marsh marigold
To appreciate the properties of a plant, you need to familiarize yourself with its unique characteristics. The latter include not only external features, but also applications.
What flowers look like marsh marigold
In the absence of experience, perennials can be confused with other plants. Kaluzhnik looks like:
- spring forest poppy;
You can distinguish the spring poppy by the shape of the leaves
- pungent ranunculus;
Unlike the marigold, the caustic buttercup has thin, dissected leaves.
- European bathing suit;
The European swimsuit has a more complex structure of buds than the marigold
- spring adonis;
The leaves of spring adonis are very small and thin.
- spring chistyak;
The petals of the spring chistyak are longer and narrower than those of the marigold
- buttercup anemone.
You can recognize the buttercup anemone by its palmately dissected leaves.
It is easy to distinguish plants from each other if you carefully study the photo and description of the species in advance.
The degree of toxicity
Marigold belongs to the category of poisonous plants – all its parts are toxic when fresh. Perennial juice emits an unpleasant odor and has a very sour taste. Grass is not eaten by animals grazing near swamps and ponds.
The plant contains palustrolide and epicaltolide, as well as a large number of alkaloids, coumarins, protoanemonins. Careless use of fresh marigold leads to intoxication.
Signs of poisoning
Symptoms of poisoning appear on average two hours after the plant is used as food. Intoxication is expressed by severe weakness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Some patients experience frequent urination.
In case of poisoning by a plant, it is necessary to drink more ordinary water and artificially induce vomiting to cleanse the stomach. After that, you should take activated charcoal and contact a medical facility.
The juice of the plant also causes irritation when it comes into contact with the skin. In this case, the affected area should be washed with warm water, and then one of the antihistamines should be taken.
Medicinal properties of marsh marigold
Despite the toxicity, the plant has medicinal properties. Saponins in the composition of the perennial are beneficial in the treatment of cough and bronchitis. Flavonoids in the herb and roots have a beneficial effect on blood vessels, even out the heart rate and stabilize blood pressure. The plant is taken for inflammation and to relieve pain.
In small doses, marigold is used to prevent cancer.
Application in folk medicine
Traditional medicine offers several recipes based on a perennial plant. When using medicinal products, it is very important to follow the recommended dosages and rules of administration.
Decoction for colds
With ARVI 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;
- in an enamel bowl, boil under a lid for half an hour over low heat.
The product is cooled and passed through gauze, squeezing out the raw material. The resulting liquid is topped up with clean water to the original volume and taken four times a day for a large spoon. It is necessary to use a medicine based on a plant on a full stomach.
With prostatitis
The roots of a medicinal plant relieve inflammation in prostatitis well. The remedy is done like this:
- 1/2 a small spoonful of chopped rhizomes is poured into a glass of water;
- boil over medium heat for five minutes;
- remove from the stove and insist another hour.
The strained preparation is taken up to four times a day for 1/4 cup, the treatment is continued for up to three weeks.
A decoction of marigold root has analgesic properties
With fever
An infusion of the leaves of the plant helps to cope with fever and fever. Prepare it like this:
- a small spoonful of raw materials is poured into 200 ml of boiling water;
- keep covered for an hour;
- filtered through cheesecloth.
Take the remedy for 1/3 cup three times a day with food.
Collection and procurement of raw materials
Harvesting of marigold roots is carried out in late autumn, shortly before the cold weather, when the plant finally fades. Leaves and stems are harvested in the spring at the beginning of bud bloom. Any parts of the plant are first washed in cold water, and then dried in the fresh air or in an oven at 45 ° C until the moisture has completely evaporated.
It is necessary to store raw materials in paper bags or glass containers in a dark place with a low level of humidity. Medicinal properties harvested plant holds for two years.
Cooking application
Perennial, subject to careful cooking, can be used in the preparation of edible dishes. From the buds of the plant, they 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 grass is first soaked in water for at least a day, periodically changing the liquid, 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 making capers from the buds of the plant. In this case, unblown flowers are marinated in vinegar with soda, pepper and spices.
Other types and varieties
Kaluga is represented not only by the swamp variety, but also by other wild and garden forms. It is interesting to study their photos and main features.
Terry marigold
Plena terry marigold (Caltha Palustris Flore Pleno) is an ornamental garden plant form. It differs in miniature dimensions and rises only up to 25 cm above the ground, it develops 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 bulky clusters.
The structure of flowers in the terry Plena variety is more complex than in wild-growing species.
membranous
Webbed marigold (Caltha membranacea) rises an average of 30 cm, has dark green large leaves on long petioles. In spring, the plant bears numerous small bright yellow flowers.
On one membranous marigold, more than 20 flowers can bloom at the same time
Thin-petaled
Thin-leaved marigold (Caltha leptosepala) is a short grass 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, two pieces can be located on one peduncle at once.
Thin-petalled marigold grows on average up to 35 cm
floating marigold
The floating marigold (Caltha natans) is a miniature variety with white flowers up to 4 cm in diameter. The leaf plates of the plant are rounded, with a smooth edge, about 3 cm wide, kept on the surface of the water.
Floating marigold is often used to decorate reservoirs
Forestry
Forest marigold (Caltha sylvestris) belongs to high varieties 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.
The buds of the forest marigold are collected in inflorescences up to 15 pieces
The Piped Nun
The pipe 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 flowers of fistulate marigold 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, brings white small buds in May, rising on long peduncles.
The homeland of the two-flowered species is North America.
Application in landscape design
Perennial loves a large amount of moisture, so it is usually used in swampy areas and in places where groundwater is close. The plant is used:
- for decorating the banks of reservoirs;
Kaluga well emphasizes the line of streams and ponds in the garden
- for planting in artistic compositions imitating a forest clearing;
Kaluzhnitsa looks good in densely shaded areas of the garden
- for placement directly on the surface of the water;
With the help of marigold, you can romantically decorate an artificial lake in the garden
Kaluga looks attractive next to ferns and irises, loosestrife and delphinium. It can be planted next to lungwort, bergenia, bathing suit and hosta. Plants will be able to bloom in turn, and the decorative effect of the flower bed will be maintained continuously.
Features of reproduction
The herbaceous plant is propagated by both seeds and vegetative methods:
- By 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 shade and water well. It tolerates division well and quickly takes root in a new place.
- Seeds. In spring or autumn, planting material is first placed in the cold to 10 ° C for 30 days, and then germinated for another two months at a temperature of about 20 ° C. After that, young plants can be planted in open ground, they can bloom in three years.
- Layers. The fastest way is to bend a perennial stem with a leaf bud to the ground, fix it and moisten it regularly for several weeks. When the shoot gives roots, it can be separated from the mother plant and transferred to a new place.
For reproduction of marigolds, they usually use the division of the bush – it is possible to get the result the fastest
Marsh marigold has good endurance and is easy to propagate by any means.
Rules of landing
It is recommended to plant a plant in open ground in early spring or early autumn. The soil culture needs fertile, abundantly moistened. The perennial is able to grow both in open sunny places and in the shade under the cover of deciduous trees.
To plant marigold in the selected area, it is necessary to dig a small hole, twice the size of the roots of the plant. Dry soil, if necessary, is diluted with clay, peat and humus. The seedling is lowered into the pit and its roots are covered with earth, and then the soil is slightly crushed at the stem. For the first time, the perennial must be shaded from the south side of the sunlight and ensure stable watering.
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.
Top dressing of the plant is carried out three times per season – in early spring, during the flowering period and in the middle of summer. You need to use complex mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Every 3-4 years, the perennial is transplanted 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 thrown with fallen leaves. This will insulate the root system and protect it from frost.
Pests and diseases
In general, a perennial plant is considered resistant to diseases and pests. But since it chooses moist areas for life, 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 various sizes.
Rust responds well to copper sulfate treatment.
- Mučnistaâ rosa. The lower plates of the plant are the first to suffer from the disease, then light spots spread to the upper parts.
Powdery mildew fungus leaves a white coating with transparent drops on the leaves
You can get rid of marigold diseases with the help of Fundazol and biopreparations Gamair and Fitosporin-M. The treatment of the plant is carried out in accordance with the instructions several times per season at intervals of 2-3 weeks.
Pests infect marsh marigold extremely rarely. Sometimes a perennial suffers from flies that lay their eggs on succulent leaf plates. You can get rid of insects with a mild soapy solution.
Fly larvae after hatching are taken to eat juicy marigold greens
Conclusion
Marsh marigold is a very beautiful, hardy and easily propagated perennial flower. It can be planted in well-moistened areas and directly in the water, the plant has medicinal properties. When using it, it should be borne in mind that marigold is poisonous, it is allowed to use it for medicinal purposes only in accordance with recipes.
