Common Name: Marsh Mallow

General Information

Althaea officinalis is a herbaceous, perennial plant producing a cluster of unbranched or lightly-branched stems 60 - 150cm tall from a rhizomatous rootstock with rather fleshy, thickish roots[].
Marsh mallow has a long history of use as a medicine, food and source of various materials.It is still commonly used, especially for medicinal purposes and is often cultivated in the herb garden and also commercially. The roots were at one time the source of the sweet 'marsh mallow', but this sweet is now made without using the plant[]. The plant is sometimes grown in the ornamental garden.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Europe - Denmark to Spain, east to the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Greece; through Asia to eastern Siberia and Pakistan; Africa - Algeria, Tunisia

Habitat

The upper margins of salt and brackish marshes, sides of ditches and grassy banks near the sea[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.20 m
Pollinators	Bees. Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Plants are hardy to about -25°c[].
Succeeds in almost any soil and situation[, , ], though it prefers a rich moist soil in a sunny position[, ]. It also tolerates fairly dry soil conditions[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked[, , ]. They are used as a potherb or to thicken soups[, ]. When used as a small proportion with other leaves, the taste and texture is acceptable, but if a lot of the leaves are cooked together their mucilaginous texture makes them unpalatable[]. The leaves can be eaten raw but are rather fibrous and somewhat hairy, though the taste is mild and pleasant[]. We have found them to be quite acceptable in salads when chopped up finely[].

Root - raw or cooked[]. When boiled and then fried with onions it is said to make a palatable dish that is often used in times of shortage[]. The root is used as a vegetable[, , ], it is also dried then ground into a powder, made into a paste and roasted to make the sweet 'marshmallow'[, , , , ]. The root contains about 37% starch, 11% mucilage, 11% pectin[].

The water left over from cooking any part of the plant can be used as an egg-white substitute in making meringues etc[]. The water from the root is the most effective[], it is concentrated by boiling until it has a similar consistency to egg white.

A tea is made from the flowers[].
A tea can also be made from the root[].

Medicinal

Marsh mallow root has a long history of herbal use and is still widely employed in modern herbalism. It is a very useful household medicinal herb, where its soothing demulcent properties make it very effective in treating inflammations and irritations of the mucous membranes such as the alimentary canal, the urinary and the respiratory organs[, ].
The whole plant, but especially the root, is antitussive, demulcent, diuretic, highly emollient, slightly laxative and odontalgic[, , , , ]. It counters excess stomach acid, peptic ulceration and gastritis[].
The root is applied externally to bruises, sprains, aching muscles, insect bites, skin inflammations, splinters etc[, ]. The root can be used in an ointment for treating boils and abscesses[].
The root is best harvested in the autumn, preferably from 2 year old plants, and is dried for later use[]. Nonlignified roots of the second year's growth, which are washed and cut into cubes or powdered, are used for pharmaceutical purposes[].
The root contains up to 35 - 36% mucilage; up to 3 7% starch; 8 - 10% sugar; 2 - 19.8% asparagin; 11% pectin; 1 -1.5% oil; and salts (of malic, sulfuric and phosphoric acids), with phosphates particularly abundant[]. Betaine is also present[]. The saccharose content may be as high as 20.2%[].

An infusion of the leaves is used to treat cystitis and frequent urination[].
The leaves are harvested in August when the plant is just coming into flower and can be dried for later use[].

Other Uses

The dried root is used as a toothbrush or is chewed by teething children[, ]. It has a mechanical affect on the gums whilst also helping to ease the pain[].

The root is used as a cosmetic, helping to soften the skin[]. An extract of the roots is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin conditioner[].
An extract of the flowers is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as an emollient and skin conditioner[].
An extract of the leaves is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin conditioner[].
An extract of a culture of the callus of the plant is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a humectant, antioxidant, hair conditioner, skin conditioner and skin protector[].

A fibre is obtained from the stem and roots. It is of no practical value for spinning, but is used in paper-making[, , , ].

The dried and powdered root has been used to bind the active ingredients when making pills for medicinal use[].

A glue can be made from the root[]. The root is boiled in water until a thick syrup is left in the pan, this syrup is used as a glue.

The flowers contain 0.24% of an essential oil, whilst the leaves contain 0.o22%. This oil has a valerian scent[].

The flowers contain the pigment malvidin. It is used as a red dye for wool; a blackish -blue dye is obtained with a mordant of ferric salts; a gray or grayish -violet with aluminum salts; and a dark violet with stannic salts[].

An oil is obtained from the seed. It has a specific gravity 0.927-0.940, saponification number 190.4 - 195.1, iodine number 12.02 - 13. 05. It contains 30.8% oleic acid 30.8%. The oil is used in making paints and varnishes[].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring or autumn in a cold frame. The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in late summer, the germination is often erratic[]. Stratification can improve germination rates and time. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer[].
Division in spring or autumn. Fairly easy, it is best to pot up the divisions in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are growing away well and then plant them out into their permanent positions.
Root cuttings in early winter.