The Blessing of Softness: Marshmallow (Althea officinalis) Plant Profile
Marshmallow is a common enough herb that its likely to have shown up in your western herbalism studies at some point.
But I didn’t pay the plant too much attention until a few years into my practice when I started to hear stories about how it worked in the body in ways that didn’t make sense based on its biochemistry or how it had a funny way of making people reconnect with childhood memories (but only sometimes). It was the sort of oddness that perked my interest and I began to follow the moonlit path of the sort of herbalism that is talked about between practitioners, but isn’t always written down in books (and I have a fondness for strange herbs like these).
Marshmallow is a lovely plant ally, one whose use dates back to the world of ancient Egypt (but probably older still), and is both blessedly common in its abundance in the wild, appearing mundane in its uses, but also having a way of softening the hardness of our preconceived notions, when we find ourselves face-to-face with the soft vulnerability that we all carry but don’t always know how to care for and be cared by.
So journey with me through very old stories about Marshmallow alongside the new and learn about the healing path of this lunar plant.
Marshmallow
(Althea officinalis)
Common Common + Folk Names : Malva, mallow, common mallow, cheese wheel, hock herb, sweet weed, mortification plant, hock herb, wymote, altea, malvaisco, malws bendigaid
Tarot Cards : The Empress, The Moon, Queen of Cups (learn more about the connections between the tarot and herbs)
Element : Water
Zodiac Signs : Aries (Remedy), Taurus (Guardian & Remedy), Cancer (Guardian & Remedy) Leo (Remedy), Virgo (Guardian & Remedy), Libra (Guardian & Remedy)
Planets : Venus, Moon
Moon Phase : Full to Waning Quarter Moon
Parts used : Root, leaf
Habitat : Native to Africa, Asia, and Europe but naturalized throughout North America.
Growing Conditions : Partial sun to full shade in cool, damp, and nutrient-rich soil.
Collection : Harvest the second or third year roots in the autumn; collect leaves throughout spring and summer.
Flavor : Sweet, bitter
Temperature : Cool
Moisture : Moist
Tissue State : Hot, Dry
Constituents : Beta-carotene, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, mucilage, polysaccharides, flavonoids, betaine, sterols, asparagine, tannins, coumarin, phenolic acid, lecithin, pectin, malic acid.
Actions : Alterative, antacid, analgesic, antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antitussive, aphrodisiac, bronchodilator, demulcent, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, galactagogue, hemostatic, immune tonic (immunostimulant), laxative, lung tonic, nutritive, rejuvenative, vulnerary.
Main Uses : I remember the first time that I tried a cup of fresh Marshmallow root tea. I did not like it. The texture was a bit too slick and slimy, even though the taste was a pleasant enough neutral sweetness. I would later learn that the slimy texture that I was experiencing was Marshmallows' famously mucilaginous characteristics. Even better, I learned that there were many ways to prepare and enjoy Marshmallow and, over the years of working with this slimy ally, I've become increasingly grateful for its distinctly emollient nature.
Marshmallow is demulcent herb (i.e. a plant high in polysaccharides that produce a mucilage that is soothing to internal and external tissues) that has been in use for thousands of years in traditional western herbalism and beyond, stretching back in recorded history to at least ancient Egypt. Dioscorides wrote down the medicinal uses of Marshmallow in the first century and it has been recorded in traditional western herbalism materia medicas ever since. The Latin binomial of Althea is derived from the Greek words "althos" or medicine and "althaiein" or to heal, which tells you how prized Marshmallow has been as a medicine from its earliest uses through the centuries to be given the clear title of "medicine that heals."¹
As a mucilaginous herb, Marshmallow can help reduce inflammation throughout the body by soothing and moistening tissue. Signs of sharpness, build-up, and dryness all indicate that Marshmallow might be a good plant to work with. Sharp and hacking coughs in both adults and children, can be softened by Marshmallow especially when combined with herbs like Wild Cherry (Prunus serotina). Marshmallow aids the digestive system, by reducing acidity, lining the inflamed stomach with a layer of mucilage, and helping to improve digestion. The root can be used to cool and regulate an overheated digestive system that has led to symptoms like diarrhea and poor absorption of nutrients. Demonstrating its amphoteric qualities, however, Marshmallow also helps with cases of constipation, helping to soften stools and soothe irritated intestines. Consider Marshmallow for all kinds of painful digestive conditions including Crohn's disease, gastritis, ulcers, diverticulitis, and irritable bowel syndrome. For these types of painful digestive conditions, a mix of powdered Marshmallow root and cool water is recommended before eating (roughly two to three teaspoons of the powdered root to enough water to make a thick paste).
In addition to being a mucilaginous herb, different sources will classify Marshmallow as an immunostimulant or an immunomodulator. In my experience, I find that Marshmallow acts more as an immunomodulator and herbalist Brigitte Mars notes that Marshmallow can either stimulate white blood cell production or reduce an overactive immune system depending on the needs of the body.² I like adding Marshmallow to cold and flu blends when a dry, hacking cough is present, as it'll not only support a healthy immune response, but moisten respiratory airways. It is a good herb for recovery after an illness, too.
Twelfth century herbalist Hildegard von Bingen describes it as a remedy for "melancholy brought forth by various fevers [that] makes a person's brain ail" and recommends mixing Marshmallow with Sage (Salvia officinalis) and olive oil, applying this blend to the head, wrapping the head in cloth, and applying a fresh wrap everyday for three days. While not a protocol recommended these days (though I imagine that it would help a great deal with scalp and hair health), I'm always interested in the ways that herbalists like Hildegard were trying to address the intersections of mental and physical health. Marshmallow is wonderful for sore throats, by both cooling and coating the lining of the throat but also acting as an analgesic. Naturopathic doctor J.J. Pursell recommends Marshmallow to all of her singer clients because of its throat nourishing qualities.³ Finally, Marshmallow is a helpful aid in reducing symptoms of allergies especially allergic rhinitis.
Pliny writes about the use of Marshmallow by midwives to ease pain and help to speed up labor.⁴ While this seems to have fallen out of modern use, mucilaginous herbs and plants like Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) are still recommended in some midwifery communities (especially in the southern US) to aid with labor. Postpartum, Marshmallow is still used as a galactagogue to support nursing and prevent and alleviate clogged ducts and inflamed breast tissue. The root can be used internally and externally with herbs like Poke Root (Phytolacca americana) to alleviate mastitis. The herb is also an excellent addition to sitz baths. Use Marshmallow to support urinary health, break-up stones, and for urinary tract infections.
Externally, Marshmallow's mucilaginous qualities make it a great emollient ally for all types of skin conditions including rashes, wounds, bruises, cuts, scrapes, and general aches and pains. The leaf can be used externally as a quick poultice for insect stings as well as thorns and splinters. Use the leaf and root as a poultice for sore nipples and mastitis. Use in aftercare for sun exposure and burns (combine with other herbs like Rosa spp.). A good ally for rinsing, bathing, and washing during allergy season to help remove and protect the body from allergens. And even though modern Marshmallow candies do not contain any Marshmallow plant in them, you can still find plenty of recipes to make your own herbal treat.
Finally, I want to take a moment to share a story from seventeenth-century English herbalist Nicholas Culpeper, who recorded in his famous Herbal how a decoction of Marshmallow root saved his son's life when his boy was taken with dysentery (or "bloody flux" as it was called at the time):
“You may remember that not long since there was a raging disease called the bloody-flux; the college of physicians not knowing what to make of it, called it the inside plague, for their wits were at Ne plus ultra about it: My son was taken with the same disease, and the excoriation of his bowels was exceeding great; myself being in the country, was sent for up, the only thing I gave him, was Mallows bruised and boiled both in milk and drink, in two days (the blessing of God being upon it) it cured him. And I here, to shew my thankfulness to God, in communicating it to his creatures, leave it to posterity.”⁵
I am reminded, not infrequently, when writing these plant profiles and reading through generations of materia medicas of how these are not just a recording of plants but of people, that they are works of love and life. Here we have an outpouring of gratitude by Culpeper that his son's life was spared this time through the gifts of plant medicine and he shows his thankfulness by sharing this knowledge in hopes that others will be saved. It speaks not only of Culpeper's nature (he was a radical community herbalist committed to making safe and effective medicine available to all) but of the community treasure that is the tradition of materia medicas, well-worn herbals, and spoken plant stories - one person hoping to spare the suffering of another and another and so on through the generations. It is also a story to share about Marshmallow themselves when teaching others about the plant's healing qualities: "Here, friends, is a plant that saved the life of a child, let me tell you what I know of their healing ways."⁶
image via botanical.com
Magickal Uses : Use Marshmallow in magickal workings to clear out oppressive and heavy energy from people and places. Scott Cunningham writes that Marshmallow is used to attract love, including calling back love to you from a partner who has left, but I could see this adapted for rituals to call back loved ones especially when issues of mental health are involved. The herb has also been used in rites of fertility, and especially protecting against impotency, as well as general protection. Add to charms and amulets to help soften up a situation, using the plant's Venusian gifts to help bring ease to otherwise challenging circumstances. Use in lunar rites of all varieties.
The Marshmallow Personality : Marshmallow folk are those that are chronically hard on themselves, hard in their relationships, and have experienced hardness throughout their life. Often, but not always, Marshmallow folks had to grow up real quick - the softness of childhood was not afforded them. Other times, a shocking traumatic event has created a hardened outer shell that they are struggling to break free from (and might not even be aware that they are trapped beneath it). Energetically, Marshmallow folk can sit quite high and tight in their bodies - shoulder and neck pain, tension headaches, and general body stiffness are common, along with painful digestive issues. "Soft" is not a word in Marshmallow folk's vocabulary except as an insult or a very dangerous concept that'll leave them vulnerable. So getting to a place of working with Marshmallow as a plant ally can be a long journey, but once they arrive in the relationship, a healing softness and ease of life can occur for them. Marshmallow helps these folks to assess where their hardness comes from and why they are so committed to maintaining it. Through working with Marshmallow, these folks can begin to stretch out of their high-walled compound of hardness into the surrounding gardens, cool waters, and rolling hills that a soft life allows for.
Contraindications : Generally considered safe.
Drug interactions : Over an extended period of time, Marshmallow may reduce absorption of other prescription drugs and supplements because of how the herb coats the lining of the stomach. Stagger when you take Marshmallow a few hours apart than when you take other medication.
Dosage : Standard dosage.
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I hope you enjoyed this exploration of Marshmallow’s healing and magickal gifts. You can find many more plant profiles in my archive and my complete collection of plant profiles in The Plant Ally Library.
Nicholas Culpeper’s herbal is also widely available for free - I enjoy the one found here. My favorite print edition of Culpeper’s Herbal is Culpeper's Complete Herbal: A Compendium of Herbs and Their Uses, Annotated for Modern Herbalists, Healers, and Witches edited by J.J. Pursell.
For those wondering what a lunar herb is and why it is I seem to write about so many lunar plant allies, come this way.
Whether you’re a practitioner, an herbal student, or magickal practitioner interesting in plants, may the herbal path be one that draws you closer to the tender heart of our shared humanity.
This post was made possible through patron support.
❤︎ Thanks, friends. ❤︎
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Footnotes
1 Graeme Tobyn, Alison Dunham, Margaret Whitelegg, The Western Herbal Tradition: 2000 Years of Medicinal Plant Knowledge (Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2011), 67.
2. Brigitte Mars, The Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicine (Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, 2007), 196.
3. Nicholas Culpeper, and J. J. Pursell, Culpeper's Complete Herbal: A Compendium of Herbs and Their Uses, Annotated for Modern Herbalists, Healers, and Witches (Portland, OR: Microcosm Publishing, 2022), 177.
4. Tobyn, et al., 69.
5. Culpeper, et al., 177.
6. While I wanted to include this part of Marshmallow’s story, I also want to emphasize that the point is about the humanity (and joy and heartbreak) found in the pages of materia medicas not that Marshmallow is a miraculous “cure” of childhood diseases. Only one of Culpeper’s children made it to adulthood, but his gratefulness to Marshmallow remains a beautiful love letter and a reminder of how precarious life can be and how beautiful it is that we get to practice herbal medicine alongside modern medicine. And we honor Culpeper’s legacy by striving to make medicine free and accessible to all.
7. Scott Cunningham, Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 2001), 167.
