Marshmallow

Althaea officinalis

Family
Malvaceae

Related genera
Abelmoschus, Abutilon, Alcea, Hibiscus, Malve

Cold germinator. Sow seeds ca. 0,5 cm deep into fresh seeding compost that has been mixed with sand. Place in the fridge and keep at 5-10°C for 4 weeks and then move to a warm sunny place. Or place the sowing pots outdoors in early spring, keep moist and let germinate under natural conditions. Separate young plants and plant outdoors when strong enough, in a sunny place and loamy sandy soil. Plants tollerate salt and draught. Perennial, hardy plant, grows 1 m or higher, with white to light pink flowers from May to late September. Needs no winter protection. The leaves, stems and flowers are edible and eaten in salads. All parts including the root are also used medicinally, as tea or in poultices on wounds. Root and stems produce a sticky sweet slime that eases chronic coughing. The root, which was also eaten in times of scarcity, is traditionally harvested in the third year. The sweets originally made from the plant got their name from it. The scientific name derives from Greek althainein, ‘to heal’. Marshmallow in turn refers to the plant’s habitat (though it is native to dry regions), whilst mallow comes from Greek malakos, meaning ‘soft’ and ‘easing’. In folklore and magic traditionally associated with love, protection and healing, but sometimes it can also have opposit effects.

Sources

Wikipedia English, Wikipedia German

Fotos © Teufelskunst