The marsh-marigold (Caltha palustris) looks more like a
species of buttercup at first glance, and indeed an alternative name for it is
“kingcup”, “cup” being derived from the Old English “cop” meaning a button or
stud.
It is a plant that grows throughout the British Isles, being
common in damp woodlands, marshes and ditches.
It grows to between 12 and 24 inches in height (30-60
centimetres) and comprises straight hairless stems bearing large, shiny, dark
green heart-shaped leaves and golden yellow flowers that appear between March
and July. The flowers can grow to be up to two inches (five centimetres)
across, containing up to 100 stamens. However, the plants are much smaller in
upland areas, where they tend to hug the ground.
When flowering is over, the seed capsules ripen and split
open down one side to release the seeds.
One belief from former times was that a bunch of
marsh-marigolds would protect cattle from witches and fairies if hung over the
byre on May Day.
© John Welford
