Althaea officinalis Marsh-mallow

Althaea officinalis, Marsh-mallow, is a perennial species of the upper saltmarsh. It is an attractive plant that grows up to about 1m tall, with soft, grey-green, shallow-lobed leaves and large, 5-petalled, pink flowers which appear in late summer. It is unmistakable in its habitat and often grows in conspicuous stands made up of large clumps of plants. A medical confection made from boiling the spongy roots of Marsh-mallow and sweetened with honey was probably the original marshmallow that is familiar today as a confectionary or cookery ingredient, although it is not mass-produced from the Marsh-mallow plant anymore.

Native