Marshmallow

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Perennial 70 days to flower 3 years to root harvest Althaea officinalis

HEIRLOOM A cousin of the hollyhock, we love Marshmallow for her velvet foliage and humble yet elegant flowers on vigorous 4- to 6-foot plants with gentle, deeply healing medicinal qualities. Impressively drought-tolerant, marshmallow thrives in moist areas, as well. Her young leaves in spring we also pluck for salad!

Marshmallow root is nutritious, soothing to the digestion, stimulating to the immune system and helping prevent and repair ulcerations. It also soothes irritated membranes and relieves hacking, uncontrollable coughs. Similar in function to Slippery Elm, Marshmallow is a much more sustainable alternative. Steep her roots in cold water for several hours rather than boiling the root for optimum medicinal benefit. We also steep her in oil with calendula with plantain for a healing salve, inspired by Geraldine of Suntrap Botanical outside Ithaca, NY.

Would you love to receive these seeds? Rather than selling and shipping, we share seeds as an embodied gift practice.

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Organic Marshmallow

Planting Method: Transplant Only

When to sow: 4-6 weeks before last frost (cold stratify – see below); or – as soon as it is ripe in late summer

Seed Depth: 1/4 inch Days to Germination: 7-14

Sowing and seedling care: For best results, ‘cold stratify’ seeds for 4-6 weeks in a moist paper towel in a closed plastic bag in the fridge before you sow indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost.

When to transplant: After last frost

Transplant Spacing: 12 inches Sun Needs: Full/Part

While Marshmallow will thrive in most soils it prefers cool, moist soil in partial or full shade where it will readily self-sow in Zone 4 or warmer. Mulch to reduce weed and watering pressure.

Days to Harvest: 60 days to flower; 3 years to roots

Height: 4-6 feet

Harvest: Harvest 3rd year roots for medicine.