MARSHMALLOW

COMMON NAME: MARSHMALLOW

LATIN NAME: Althaea officinale

FAMILY: Malvaceae

HISTORY: The healing properties of marshmallow were first recorded in the 9th century BC and were widely used in Greek medicine. Powdered roots were once used to make soft lozenges for throat infections and coughs-forerunners to the popular candy “marshmallow” which no longer contains extracts of the herb. The name altheae comes from the Greek altha, which means “to cure” and refers to the healing properties of the plant.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION: Robust perennial with flesh taproot and upright downy stems. Leaves are velvety, round to ovate, 3-8 cm across. Pale pink flowers, 2-4cm across appear in summer.

TYPE: PERENNIAL HEIGHT: 1-1.2 M SPREAD: 60-90CM HARDINESS ZONES: 3-9

HABITAT: Originally found throughout Western Europe, Central Asia and Northern Africa. Prefers moist to wet soil in sun.

PROPAGATION: By seed sown when ripe in late summer or by division in autumn. Germination is erratic.

PARTS USED: leaves, roots

HARVEST: Leaves are gathered in summer and dried for infusions, liquid extracts and ointments. Roots are lifted in autumn from 2 year old plants and dried to liquid extracts, ointments and syrups.

CONSTITUENTS: mucilage- approx. 35% in root, 10% in leaves

asparigin

tannins

phytosterol

PROPERTIES: A sweet mucilaginous herb that soothes and softens tissues, has expectorant effects and controls bacterial infection.

INDICATIONS: EXTERNAL use for wounds, burns, boils, eye and skin inflammations, insect bites, splinters, minor injuries, gingivitis, mastitis, and gangrene

INTERNALLY ROOTS for inflammations and ulceration of the digestive tract, hiatus hernia, bronchitis, excess mucus, asthma, whooping cough, cystitis

INTERNALLY LEAVES for urinary tract infections, excess mucus, bronchitis, irritating coughs, cystitis

DOSAGE: INFUSION-LEAVES- 1-2 tsp. /cup tid

TINCTURE- 1-5 ml tid.

DECOCTION-ROOT-1 tsp. chopped root/cup water tid

OINTMENT-about 20%

EXCELLENT HERB FOR POULTICE AND COMPRESS APPLICATIONS(ROOT)

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COMBINATIONS: for bronchitis and other chest problems with white horehound(Marribium vulgare), licorice(Glycyrrhiza glabra)

for skin problems externally with comfrey (Symphytum officinale), and slippery elm bark (Ulmus fulva).

OTHER USES: Peeled root is given to children as a teething aid.

CONTRAINDICATIONS/WARNINGS: None known

KETTLEBY HERB FARMS@1997 970731MA

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