Balcony Garden – Blooming this Week
June 8, 2010 – 8:00 am
Caltha palustris, Marsh marigold is in flower in the pond this week. This is one of the first pond plants to bloom. The stems, which are a beautiful dark purple at their base are about 30.5 cm (12 inches) tall and the single flowers are about 2.5 cm (1 inch) across. This one takes full sun but will also be happy in partial shade. It’s in bloom right now at Reader Rock Garden where it grows in the dappled shade beside the little stream that runs through the property. So it is hardy in Zone 3. It’s still to cold out for most of the pond plants you can buy here at the greenhouse – but this one is a great choice to get the ponds going.
Marsh marigold is found across Canada. In the Rockies, this plant flowers beside mountain streams and swampy areas. Elk feed on leaves (as well as the occasional moose I bet) , but just because they do doesn’t mean you should. This plant will make you sick. I’ve read the if you boil the leaves, stem and flowers, you can get rid of the poison. But I’ll admit this is one dare I’m not taking – I’ll just enjoy the flowers.