Marshmellow

Plant: Althaea officinalis L., or commonly known as Marshmellow, is a lovely herbaceous perennial. Part of the Malvaceae family, it has soft leaves and white flowers with five petals. This plant loves full sun and prefers moist, fertile soils. (Carpenter and Carpenter 2015) Marshmellow root will take two or three years to harvest and can share a plot with boneset, valerian and angelica. Aerial portion does well to dry out of direct light to maintain a higher quality. At Thea farms, we have a first and second year harvest of flowers and leaves.

Parts Used: Root, Leaf ( Hoffman 2003)

Constituents: root has mucilage, pectin, leaves have mucilage, flavonoids, polyphenolic acids (Hoffman 2003)

Energetics: cooling and moistening (Easley and Horne, 2016)

Actions: demulcent, emollient, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant (Hoffman 2003)

Medicinal tradition: Marshmellow was used to treat inflammation of the urinary tract and respiratory systems. (Carpenter and Carpenter, 2015) It can be used with other bronchial herbs such as mullein and coltsfoot. At the farm, we use marshmellow as a demulcent for irritated mucosa. It has a pleasant taste and makes for a great tea!

Safety Considerations: Marshmellow can delay absorption of other drugs taken at the same time ( Hoffman 2003)