HERB-MARSHMALLOW
HERB-MARSHMALLOW
A$3.50
Availability: 42 in stock
Althaea Officinalis
HERB-MARSHMALLOW is an extremely valuable & easy-to-grow medicinal plant. It soothes irritated mucous membranes in the digestive tract/lungs, & gives relief to a sore throat. The leaves & flowers are used but are considered to be less medicinally potent. As an added bonus, marshmallow is a striking beauty in the garden, up to 2m tall in fertile soil, with ample pink & white flowers of 2.5 -5cm that bees love. African native. The original source of an Egyptian confection which evolved into today’s marshmallows. The roots & velvety leaves have been eaten as a vegetable for centuries, often fried with onion & garlic.
Mix seeds with moist but well-drained starting medium in a large zip lock bag & place in the fridge. If seeds start to germinate, transplant immediately. After stratification, seeds are best started indoors for a few weeks before transplanting outside in mid to late spring. Keep germinating seeds moist, transplant to larger containers, gradually acclimating to outdoor conditions. Perennial
| Germination Time (Days) | 14 – 21 |
| Sowing Depth (mm) | 5 |
| Plant Spacing (cm) | 80 |
| pH | 6.1 – 6.5 |
| Soil Temperature (°C) | – |
| Hardy / Frost Tender | Hardy |
| Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings | Raise Seedlings |
| Seed Preparation | – |
Scoville Heat Units (SHU)
Plant Height
120 - 180 cm (4 - 6 feet)
Season of Interest
Summer to early Autumn
Temperature Range
15 - 25 °C
Determine / Indeterminate
Annual / Perennial / Biennial
Perennial
Frost Hardy / Tender
Frost Hardy
Full Sun / Part Sun / Shade
Full Sun to Part Shade
Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings
Raise seedlings
Soil
Moist, loamy soil, tolerates saline conditions
pH
6.0 - 7.5
Soil Temperature
15 - 20 °C (59 - 68 °F)
Seed Preparation
Cold stratify seeds for 4-6 weeks
Sowing Depth
0.6 - 1.2 cm (0.25 - 0.5 inches)
Plant Spacing
45 - 60 cm (18 - 24 inches)
Row spacing
90 cm (36 inches)
Watering
High, prefers consistently moist soil
Germination Time (Days)
14 - 30 days
Harvest Time (Days)
90 - 120 days
Good Companion Plants
Basil, Lavender, Sage
Bad Companion Plants
None specific
Pests
Slugs, Snails
Diseases
Rust, Leaf spot
More About Us
When I started this journey in 2009, I found nothing existed commercially, that was reasonably priced and easy to use. There was a homemade system which I also found was not that user-friendly.
Then a friend of mine told me about a homemade method she used. However, when I tried her method, I found this also didn’t suit my needs, as it too had flaws that I considered where important. It did not keep vermin out, did not have a lockable lid and (to me) looked unsightly in the garden
