Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) · Herb Profile

At a glance

Botanical name: Althaea officinalis
Family: Malvaceae
Part used: Root, Leaf
Taste: Sweet, Bland
Temperature: Cool
Moisture: Moist

On temperature, the old sources disagree: Gerard (1633) and Culpeper (1653) read it as warm; Salmon (1710) reads it as neutral. The app keeps cool, the modern reading of what the herb does in the body; the old readings are shown here but do not change it. On moisture, the old sources disagree: Culpeper (1653) reads it as dry; Salmon (1710) reads it as moist. The app keeps moist, the modern reading of what the herb does in the body; the old readings are shown here but do not change it.

Safety at a glance

In pregnancy

Generally safe

While breastfeeding

Excellent safety in breastfeeding; traditional use across Mediterranean cultures.

For children

One of the safest herbs; safe for all ages

Cautions

May delay absorption of other medications — take separately

General contraindications

Generally considered safe

Stewardship

Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) is cultivated; biennial root and perennial leaf. Wild populations exist in salt marshes. Stewardship: the namesake of the confection — when history is forgotten, the plant is forgotten.

In the traditional record

Marshmallow — Althaea referenced in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey; the root was food for the poor in ancient Israel

Which herbs suit your body?

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Educational use

The Apothecary is educational and does not constitute medical advice. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a diagnosed condition.

On our sources

These entries draw on public-domain materia medica, most of it published before 1900, alongside a smaller number of modern reference works. Energetic qualities such as warming, cooling, drying and moistening are a traditional framework for describing how a plant behaves in the body, not a laboratory measurement. Where a period source states one, we cite it. Where none does, and for many North American herbs none exists, the value reflects modern herbal consensus rather than a historical text. When we cannot support a caution with real evidence, we say nothing rather than guess.