Marshmallow

Botanical name:
Althaea officinalis
Synonyms:
Althea
Family:
Malvaceae, Mallow family
Where to find this herb:
Damp meadows, salt marches, ditches, by the sea
Part(s) used:
Leaves, root, flowers
Special constituents:
In the root: mucilage, 18-35%, consisting of a number of polysaccharides. The leaves contain mucilage as well as flavonoids, scopoletin, and polyphenolic acids.
Correspondance:
Water (Cunningham), Venus (Culpeper)
Uses:
Demulcent, emollient, expectorant.

Description:
The name Althaea comes from the greek word Altho, to cure. The plant has a long history of medicinal use, mostly for its emollient properties. Externally it can be applied as a poultice to soothe boils, ulcers and abscesses. Internally, a decoction of the leaves and/or root can be taken against irritation or inflammation of the gastric, urinary and respiratory systems. Grieve writes that "decoctions of the plant, especially of the root, are very useful where the natural mucus has been abraded from the coats of the intestines". The root or leaves can be steeped in water, or alternatively in wine or milk. For maximum emollient effect, don't boil the root, but leave it overnight to steep, then heat gently and drink.

The root is harvested in the autumn. The leaves are harvested after flowering. It should be possible to grow Marshmallow in the garden, but I didn't try (yet!).

And, at last, we have the Marshmallow candy! Originally, the marshmallow candy was made by using sap from Marshmallow root, and they were eaten as a medicine against lung diseases and sore throats. Nowadays, Marshmallow candy contains no Marshmallow sap,unfortunately. They are still yummie though!
In Denmark we have Althea candy (bolsjer), a sort of boiled sweets, but they don't contain any Marshmallow extract either.

Magically, Marshmallow will attract good spirits to your altar (according to Cunningham). It can also be carried in a sachet for protection purposes.

A few Marshmallow tips:
toothache: chew on a piece of Marshmallow root
Inflammation of the skin: Cook a handful of Marshmallow leaves in a little bit of water. Let it cool down, put the water + leaves on some gauze and wrap this around the affected area.
Constipation: Take a handful of leaves and flowers, let them cook in a cup full of water for 10 minutes. Let it cool down a bit, then sieve it. Drink this before a meal.
Coughs: Make a nice tea of marshmallow leaves and licorice root. Delicious! Children will love it too.
Syrup against insomnia (also against coughs): Let 125g Marshmallow root steep for 24 hrs in a liter of water. Sieve it. Add 1,5 kg sugar and boil, stir well. When the sugar is dissolved let it cool down. Add a bit of orange flower water for taste. Serve in small glasses just before sleep.