Caltha

Family. Ranunculaceae.

Origin, where it grows. Plants have become widespread throughout the European part of Russia; different species are found in India, Japan and North America. Some caltha have been found in Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In its natural habitat, the flower prefers to settle in damp lowlands and swamps.

Description - what it looks like.  The genus Caltha includes only about 40 species of perennial herbaceous, attractively flowering plants. The roots are fibrous, lie close to the surface of the earth and their maximum depth reaches 40 - 50 cm. 

The shoots are not branched; depending on the specific species, they can be either erect or lodging, with alternately arranged leaves on long petioles.

The leaf blades are round in shape, green, jagged or entire, covered with a large network of branched veins and reach a length of 15 - 20 cm. It is interesting that the higher the leaves are located, the shorter their petioles will be - in the upper part of the plants the leaf blades are sessile, often clasping the stem. The small leaves are folded like a fan, and over time the leaf blades straighten out.

Leafless peduncles appear at the tops of the shoots, in the axils of the upper leaves.

In spring, bright golden-yellow buds up to 5 cm in diameter are formed, collected in few-flowered inflorescences or single. Among modern varieties, there are specimens with orange, lemon-yellow and even white flowers, and there are also double species with large buds.

After flowering, small seed capsules are formed - polyleaflets, which become dry and brown when ripe. Each capsule can contain up to 10 small black seeds.

Height. The height varies greatly depending on the variety and habitat. In meadows and fields the height reaches only 40 - 50 cm, while near water bodies there are specimens reaching several meters in height.

When it blooms

When grown in open ground, the flowering period for different species may occur at different times, but generally flowering occurs in April - May. In addition, the specific time of flowering will also be influenced by the climate in the region and weather conditions. Most caltha are classified as primroses and bloom their buds on warm spring days, immediately after the snow cover melts. If the weather remains warm and fine in the fall for a long time, re-blooming may occur, but it will be less abundant. 

Planting in open ground

For marsh marigold, it is worth choosing a site with stagnant water - the bank of a pond, a small swamp. The flower can only be planted directly in water. The plant will tolerate any other site only if it is watered in a timely and abundant manner.

The location can be either well lit or in light partial shade from trees and shrubs. The fact is that this plant is a primrose and blooms at a time when the leaves have not yet formed on the trees. In the shade, flowers will appear reluctantly and less abundantly. If the bushes are exposed to hot midday sun rays, they will begin to curl their leaf blades, thereby reducing the area of ​​moisture evaporation.

A location with fairly heavy clay soil rich in organic nutrients is preferable. Before planting, it is worth enriching the soil with humus or well-rotted manure, and also adding mineral fertilizer granules for flowering plants. Do not overdo it with organic matter - with its abundant and frequent application, large leaves develop, but this happens to the detriment of flowering.

Calthas are planted at a depth of about 5 - 7 cm, depending on the planned planting pattern. The distance between the bushes is equal to half the height.

The base of the seedlings is sprinkled with mulch, which will help retain moisture in the soil. The mulch layer can reach 5 - 7 cm, and it can include fallen leaves, straw and grass, small chips and sawdust, pieces of bark. Humus is added to the mulch as additional nutrition.

In the first month after planting, special attention should be paid to soil moisture - if it is too dry, the bushes may not take root in a new place. Also, at this time, the leaves should not be exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of time during the day.

Care

Caltha is extremely unpretentious and requires minimal care. When grown in the garden, the flower will need uniformly moist and even marshy soil. Even a slight drying out can threaten the cessation of flowering.

From time to time, feed with mineral fertilizers with a high content of potassium and phosphorus. The first feeding can be done on the snow, simply scattering granules on its surface. Then apply fertilizer approximately every month.

Do not loosen the soil at the base of the plants too much - the root system is located quite close to the surface of the soil and is easily damaged. After light loosening, weeds are usually removed.

After flowering, so that the bushes do not waste energy on the formation of seeds and retain their attractiveness, the flower stalks can be cut off.

Transplant

Every 3-5 years the bushes can be dug up and divided. Such replanting rejuvenates the plants and promotes abundant flowering. Replanting is carried out in the evening, when all the buds have faded - from mid-summer to September inclusive.

How winters

Caltha tolerates wintering easily even in fairly harsh conditions and often does not need shelter at all. In general, when kept in a garden plot, the flower easily survives short frosts down to -35 degrees without shelter. 

Reproduction

Growing from seeds

Unfortunately, seed propagation, although often successful, takes a considerable amount of time. It takes about 2 to 10 years for the first buds to adorn the calthas grown from seeds.

The seeds are sown in the garden in early June, immediately after ripening and harvesting, or in mid-autumn, choosing a period of time so that the first shoots do not have time to appear before the onset of frost. With summer sowing, the first leaves will appear in August, and with winter sowing - the following spring.

You can use seeds collected independently, but with such propagation, the external characteristics of varietal plants may be lost. Only species-specific specimens will completely retain their appearance.

The planting material should be used in the year of collection or, at worst, the next year. Seeds collected 2 years ago or more lose their germination.

The soil area is weeded and loosened, then watered generously with plenty of water and the seeds are sown directly onto the surface of the soil. The planting material should not be covered with a substrate - the seeds need light to germinate.

When planting in seedling boxes and growing seedlings indoors, the planting material must be subjected to cool stratification. Stratification will increase germination.

During this period, the seeds are placed in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for a month, then the temperature is increased to 16 - 18 degrees; the seeds are stored this way for 2 months. At the end of this period, the first shoots can usually be observed.

The seedlings are planted in open ground in May-June.

Division

Every 3-4 years, the bushes can be replanted and divided for rejuvenation. This event should be carried out in the summer months, after full flowering. Some varieties tolerate division in the spring, but this often negatively affects flowering.

To help the flowers tolerate division more easily and adapt to a new place faster, it is worth postponing the transplant until cool cloudy weather sets in and doing it in the evening. To do this, the plants are removed from the ground and the root system is shaken off from the remains of the soil.

Division is carried out manually, if necessary, using a sharp and sterilized garden tool - pruning shears or a knife. As it forms, the wound surface is treated with finely crushed charcoal or ash.

As a result of division, each part should receive a well-developed root system and several of its own leaves.

Some varieties with large rhizomes are propagated by rhizome cuttings. Such specimens are dug up in summer or early autumn, shaken off any remaining soil and inspected for roots - if necessary, rotten and old, dead parts are removed with pruning shears, cutting them down to healthy tissue.

The rhizomes are cut into pieces so that each part contains its own renewal bud. The resulting sections are planted separately at a distance of about 30-40 cm from each other and watered generously.

Reproduction by air layering

In early June, caltha stems with leaf buds are pressed to the surface of the soil and pinned. A thin layer of soil is poured on top of such a layer and it is kept uniformly moist at all times. The leaf nodes should be constantly buried - make sure that the soil above them does not wash away when watering.

After some time, signs of new growth will appear - this will indicate that the first roots have appeared under the surface of the earth in the leaf node. Such cuttings are completely separated from the mother bush the following year.

Cuttings

Stem cuttings can be used for propagation. Cuttings are separated in late spring - early summer. The bases can be treated with growth stimulants. Rooting is usually done in a glass of warm water.

The water is changed every 5-6 days, and to prevent it from spoiling ahead of time, a tablet of activated carbon is added. When the roots reach a length of 1 - 2 cm, the flower can be planted in the garden.

Medicinal properties

Caltha is recognized as a medicinal plant and is often used in folk medicine.

Official medicine has so far bypassed this genus. It is worth noting that all parts are poisonous, do not consume them uncontrollably - poisoning may occur.

Symptoms of poisoning will be stomach pain and nausea, headache and loss of coordination of movements, skin rash, diarrhea and intestinal dysfunction may also appear. In order for the toxins to break down into safe compounds, the green mass must be properly collected and processed.

Collection is carried out during the flowering period - it is at this time that the stems and leaves contain the largest supply of nutrients. In addition, during the flowering period, most of the toxins decompose. The above-ground part is cut with pruning shears, collected in small bundles and tied with twine.

The bundles are hung upside down in a warm and well-ventilated place, you can also lay the grass in a thin layer on the shelves. It is worth remembering that direct sunlight should not fall on the plant material - ultraviolet radiation can destroy useful substances.

Before use, it is also advisable to additionally warm up the entire green part and flowers - in this case, the toxins contained in it are destroyed.

If it is necessary to use root sections, they are dug up in the fall - at this time, the green mass gives them all the nutrients. The root system is thoroughly washed with running water and dried at a temperature of about 50 - 60 degrees in a dryer.

Ready-made collections are stored for 1-2 years in a dry and fairly cool place, transferred to fabric or paper bags and used as needed.

Of the medicinal properties, it is worth noting the wound-healing abilities - the juice can be used for skin diseases such as eczema, burns and others. A fresh leaf blade is simply scalded with boiling water and applied to the damaged surface. It is worth remembering that if improperly prepared, the juice can cause an allergic reaction and burning.

In diseases of the upper respiratory tract, caltha is used as an expectorant - it is able to liquefy and remove mucus from the lungs.

In diseases of the urinary system, the plant is used as a diuretic. In case of colds and flu, a decoction or infusion of herbal tea can alleviate the condition - the flower also has an antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effect, can relieve pain. In case of rheumatism, it is recommended to take baths with infusions of flowers.

Application in landscape design

The marsh caltha will feel best near any body of water. You can plant a flower on the shore of an artificial pond or surround it with these attractive plants, for example, a fountain.

The formation of flowers in early spring, when there is not even any greenery in the garden, is a huge advantage of caltha - it will go well with other primroses - crocuses, white flowers, snowdrops. 

Yellow flowers will look great with marsh iris, which can also be planted near a pond. Even after flowering, the area will be decorated with green lace bushes that retain their attractiveness throughout the summer months. Also, the flower can become an independent bright accent in the coastal zone.

An area where not every plant can survive is suitable for growing a flower - high soil moisture often provokes rot in many species, while caltha thrives in such conditions. 

Diseases and pests

In general, the caltha is very resistant to any troubles; it is exposed to diseases only in case of improper care.

If plantings are too dense, during prolonged cloudy and cool weather, powdery mildew may appear on the plants.

Rust.

Pests usually avoid this poisonous plant. 

Interesting facts

The name "Caltha" comes from the Greek language, from the noun calathos, which means "glass". Apparently this is due to the fact that caltha flowers with half-opened petals resemble a glass in shape.

Interestingly, the above-ground parts of the plant are eaten after preliminary heat treatment or thorough drying. Flower buds are used as a seasoning for hot dishes, similar to capers - they are boiled and subsequently pickled. Young leaves are boiled and added to salads and soups.

Due to the early onset of flowering, caltha is a recognized honey plant. At a time when there is still little grass and leaves on the street, and the buds on the plants have not even appeared, it attracts many beneficial insects, including bees, to the garden with its bright flowers.

There are many popular names for this flower, primarily associated with the habitat of the plants - toad grass, frog grass, marsh burdock. Due to the fact that all parts of the plant are poisonous, it is also called night blindness or chicken blindness. Even the name “caltha” comes from the old Russian “kaluzha” - puddle. 

Varieties and types:

Caltha palustris

 Flowering perennials 30 - 45 cm high with thin shoots on which emerald leaves up to 20 cm long are located. On the first warm days in spring, plants decorate themselves with numerous bright, golden flowers with a diameter of 3 - 5 cm. Interestingly, the leaf blades reach their adult size already after flowering, when seed pods appear on the bushes.

Caltha sibirica

 A subspecies of marsh caltha, which has become very widespread throughout the world. Plants with powerful, non-branched shoots, dark green glossy foliage. During the flowering period, it produces branched peduncles, each of which can bear up to 15 golden flowers.

Caltha membranacea

Another subspecies of marsh caltha is a perennial primrose up to 50 cm high, common in the Asian region - Russia, China, Korea and Mongolia. The leaves are green, round, with jagged edges. The flowers are large - up to 5 cm in diameter, golden in color.

Caltha silvestris

The variety is quite tall plants reaching 60 cm with branched shoots. The leaves are jagged along the edge, round in shape, reaching 20 cm in diameter. The flowers are bright orange and bloom relatively late - in May.

Caltha polypetala

Bushes of this variety often do not exceed a height of 20 - 60 cm and appear as soon as the sun warms up. Plants develop quite slowly. The leaves are green, round in shape, with a glossy surface. The flowers are most often lemon-yellow in color, contrasting well with the foliage, with numerous stamens.

Floating caltha - Caltha natans

 An interesting species in which the root system remains on the shore, and the stems grow along the surface of the water. The plants have creeping shoots with alternate rounded leaves located on them. The leaf blades are dark green, often with a burgundy tint, and have entire or finely toothed edges. The flowers are white, less often pink, up to 1 cm in diameter, with a greenish center, open during the summer months.

Caltha leptosepala

 A North American species with thick, upright stems and round green leaves. The surface of the leaf plates is glossy, with diverging veins. Quite large denticles are often located along the edges of the leaves. During the flowering period, attractive, delicate flowers with a diameter of 1 - 4 cm are formed with numerous yellow stamens in the center.

Caltha fistulosa

 Compact primroses with bright, green leaves and large clusters of yellow flowers at the tops of the shoots. The leaf blades are edged with small teeth along the edge. Flowering early.