In the 9th century, Emperor Charlemagne ordered marshmallow cultivated in his monastery gardens.
The confection we know today, made from starch, sugar, and gelatin, bears only the plant’s name.
Original marshmallow sweets were crafted from the roots themselves.
The 17th-century herbalist Nicholas Culpeper described how the mucilaginous juice from marshmallow roots could be soaked in water until it thickened into a jelly, which was then candied in honey syrup or boiled with raisins.
The leaves, flowers, and roots remain edible, with the Council of Europe approving marshmallow as a natural food flavouring.
Scientific name.
Althaea officinalis.
Family.
Malvaceae.
Botanical description.
Height: stems reach 91–152 cm. Leaves: velvet leaves. Flowers: pink flowers. Stem: velvet stem. Seeds: flat, round seeds, or fruit.
Flowers.
August to September.
Status.
Perennial. Native.
Habitat.
Brackish river, coastal grazing marshes, ditches, saltmarsh.
Parts used for food.
Leaves, flowers buds, flowers, seed, root.
Harvest time.
April to September.
Food uses.
Marshmallow roots were traditionally candied in honey syrup or boiled with raisins to make confections. The roots can be boiled and fried, or used for tea. Leaves appear in salads and soups, while flowers can be dried or candied. Green fruits serve as an okra substitute and pickle well.
Nutritional profile.
Marshmallow roots are rich in mucilage (approximately 5%), a complex mixture of polysaccharides, alongside 11% pectins. The roots contain substantial carbohydrates, with starch comprising 25–35% and saccharose 10%. Amino acids make up around 9% of the root’s content, with proline predominating.
The plant contains essential fatty acids: the flowers provide omega-3 (20.5%) and palmitic acid (13%), while the roots offer omega-6 (28%) and palmitic acid (16.8%). These fatty acids could help reduce the incidence of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
The flowers and leaves are particularly high in phenolic compounds and flavonoids, including kaempferol, quercetin, and apigenin, which contribute to the plant’s strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Vitamin E and trace minerals are present, especially in the flowers.
Recipes.
Herbal medicine uses.
Marshmallow once featured in every wife’s physic garden for poultices and ointments. The 17th-century herbalist Nicholas Culpeper recommended it for an impressive array of ailments including coughs, kidney troubles, wounds, and bruises.
The plant was considered so soothing that in the Middle Ages, suspects covered their hands in marsh mallow paste before trial by ordeal with hot irons.
Marsh mallow boiled in wine or milk traditionally treated chest complaints, whilst root decoctions addressed urinary problems and muscular aches.
In modern herbalism, the plant remains valued for digestive, urinary and respiratory complaints. The root contains 25–35% mucilage, helping loosen stuck mucus. Today marsh mallow appears in commercial eye lotions and hand creams.
Safety note.
It has been suggested that marsh mallow may interfere with hypoglycaemic therapy, though no toxic effects from the plant or contraindications to its use during pregnancy or breastfeeding have been reported; again, do ask your medical herbalist or midwife for advice before using during this time. Some sources suggest common mallow shouldn’t be used by people with gallstones.
References.
Akyuz Turumtay, E., Demir, A., Cetiz, M. V., Uludag, E. B., Baltaş, N., Yaman, B., Yaman, M., Emirik, M., & Turumtay, H. (2023). Metabolite profiling of Althaea officinalis by HPLC-DAD-MS with in silico and in vitro analysis for therapeutic potential. Chemical Papers, 77(10), 6235–6253. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-023-02934-w
Bonaterra, G. A., Bronischewski, K., Hunold, P., Schwarzbach, H., Heinrich, E.-U., Fink, C., Aziz-Kalbhenn, H., Müller, J., & Kinscherf, R. (2020). Anti-inflammatory and Anti-oxidative Effects of Phytohustil® and Root Extract of Althaea officinalis L. on Macrophages in vitro. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 11, 290. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.00290
Elhabal, S., Abdelaal, N., Saeed Al-Zuhairy, S., Elrefai, M., Elsaid Hamdan, A., Khalifa, M., Hababeh, S., Khasawneh, M., Khamis, G., Nelson, J., Mohie, P., Gad, R., Rizk, A., Kabil, S., El-Ashery, M., Jasti, B., Elzohairy, N., Elnawawy, T., Hassan, F., & El- Nabarawi, M. (2024). Green Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles from Althaea officinalis Flower Extract Coated with Chitosan for Potential Healing Effects on Diabetic Wounds by Inhibiting TNF-α and IL-6/IL-1β Signaling Pathways. International Journal of Nanomedicine, Volume 19, 3045–3070. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S455270
Mahdi Valiei. (2011). Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the flower and root hexane extracts of Althaea officinalis in Northwest Iran. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 5(32). https://doi.org/10.5897/JMPR11.963
Rownaghi, M., & Niakousari, M. (2024). Assessing physicochemical characteristics of a shear-thinning polysaccharide mucilage extracted from marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis L.) by an ohmic heating system. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 277, 134274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.134274
Sendker, J., Böker, I., Lengers, I., Brandt, S., Jose, J., Stark, T., Hofmann, T., Fink, C., Abdel-Aziz, H., & Hensel, A. (2017). Phytochemical Characterization of Low Molecular Weight Constituents from Marshmallow Roots ( Althaea officinalis ) and Inhibiting Effects of the Aqueous Extract on Human Hyaluronidase-1. Journal of Natural Products, 80(2), 290–297. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jnatprod.6b00670
Wang, Z., Jiang, X., Zhang, L., & Chen, H. (2023). Protective effects of Althaea officinalis L. extract against N ‐diethylnitrosamine‐induced hepatocellular carcinoma in male Wistar rats through antioxidative, anti‐inflammatory, mitochondrial apoptosis and PI3K /Akt/ mTOR signaling pathways. Food Science & Nutrition, 11(8), 4756–4772. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3455
Xue, T., Ruan, K., Tang, Z., Duan, J., & Xu, H. (2023). Isolation, structural properties, and bioactivities of polysaccharides from Althaea officinalis Linn.: A review. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 242, 125098. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125098
Xue, T.-T., Yang, Y.-G., Tang, Z.-S., Duan, J.-A., Song, Z.-X., Hu, X.-H., Yang, H.-D., & Xu, H.-B. (2022). Evaluation of antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, nitric oxide production inhibitory activities and chemical profiles of the active extracts from the medicinal and edible plant: Althaea officinalis. Food Research International, 156, 111166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111166
Zabihi, M., Shojaeemehr, A., Ranjbar, A. M., Rashidi Nooshabadi, M., Shishehbor, F., & Ramezani, V. (2023). Althaea officinalis L. Extract Heals Skin Wounds in Second-Degree Burns in Mice. Jundishapur Journal of Natural Pharmaceutical Products, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.5812/jjnpp-113667
Zaghlool, S. S., Abo-Seif, A. A., Rabeh, M. A., Abdelmohsen, U. R., & Messiha, B. A. S. (2019). Gastro-Protective and Anti-Oxidant Potential of Althaea officinalis and Solanum nigrum on Pyloric Ligation/Indomethacin-Induced Ulceration in Rats. Antioxidants, 8(11), 512. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox8110512