Marshmallow  Althaea officinalis  

Marshmallow is a perennial with fleshy, upright stems that reach a height of 3-4 feet. The short-stemmed leaves are round, with irregularly toothed margins and three to five lobes. A soft and velvety down covers the leaves and stem. The flowers have five reddish-white petals. The pale yellow roots are tapered, long, and thick, with a tough yet flexible exterior. The whole plant, especially the root, is filled with mild mucilage.

Seed-Starting: . The seeds are best planted in March and should emerge in two weeks. A little scarification, I generally rub the seeds between two pieces of sandpaper, is helpful too. 

Site: As the name Marsh-Mallow suggests the plant likes to grow in wet soils. Maybe plant it where it gets morning sun but not the hot afternoon sun. I also give the plant supplemental watering during the summer drought, say a deep watering once a week. Our clay soils help keep it moist too.

Harvest: The leaves can be handpicked as needed. Harvest the roots in early spring or late fall while the plant is mostly underground. The roots can be quite large so use a long spade to dig the plant. After extracting the whole thing and washing thoroughly the plant can be divided so that half of the plant is used for medicine and the other returned to grow. It is a very productive plant! In fact a 2-year plant should make ½ gallon of medicine with plenty to replant. Just be sure what you replant contains a bud on the crown and some feeder roots.

Medicine: Both the root and leaves contain a gummy substance called mucilage. When mixed with water, it forms a gel that is used to coat the throat or stomach to reduce irritation. Try it anytime that any part of the digestive tract feels hot, inflamed, or even ulcerated. The root is also very soothing to the urinary tract during a urinary tract infection. In fact, it is a must if you are going to be giving a urinary astringent. Can also be used to soothe a dry percussive cough. For teas they are best served as a cold infusion.