Seeds and marshmallows
Few more species have been added to the inventory; mostly seeds that arrived from friends, with many thanks:
Dianthus deltoides, Phlomis tuberosa, Ratibida pinnata, Althaea officinalis, Primula florindae and Gentiana asclepiadea (a wonderful mix of colors :-).
Also Rosa acicularis ssp. sayi, Iris tectorum ‘Album’ and Silene uniflora ‘Compacta’, of which I forgot to post earlier. I am sure that after I finish processing all the seeds for cold storage placement, there will still be few to add to the list.
All are easily found through the Seeds List with the links leading to descriptions and all other necessary info. During our long winter we will get to talk in more detail about few of them for sure.
Right now, given the cold weather and snow, I feel like rambling about Althaea officinalis, the Marsh mallow.
I don’t think there is a medicinal garden or medicinal section of any Botanical Garden in the world that doesn’t display Althaea officinalis. The roots are rich in polysaccharides which can be extracted with cold water resulting in a mucilaginous substance with emollient and anti-inflammatory properties; the leaves are also edible and the dried flowers can be used in teas.
A group of Althaea officinalis plants. The wild form has whitish-rose flowers; there are cultivars in other colors as well.
According to various sources, the sap extracted from its roots has been used to make ‘honey candies’ since Ancient Egyptians. Romans and Greeks were also using them for coughs and sour throats. Like many other medicinal species, later it has jumped into the ornamental gardens. Nowadays it is escaped from cultivation in many regions of the world. It is a good plant for wildflowers gardens or the back of a border, with hibiscus-like flowers along the stems, enjoyed by pollinators.
An old botanical illustration showing the roots
Back to the marshmallows – you may have guessed, the real ones were made from the candied roots of this plant, hence the name.
Today in North America the marshmallow is a sweet product that only retained the former name. The composition may vary a bit but in general it reads: high glucose corn syrup, gelatin (to replace the mallow root extract), sugar, modified corn starch, dextrose, water, TSPP, Blue1, natural and artificial flavors. A few other additives are permitted in Canada since “Marshmallows are an unstandardized food, like most confectionery items with the exception of chocolate products and mixed nuts”.
Hmmm, what a ‘yummy’ sweet poison…
The French also produced their marshmallows at the beginning of 19th century under the name Pâte de Guimauve (Guimauve being the common name for Althaea in French).
The dessert was prepared from a mixture of Althaea roots sap, egg whites and sugar, beaten by hand for hours and was destined to royalties.
Good news is that Althaea officinalis is a perennial plant that it is easy to grow from seeds (or by division) and it develops a nice root system quite fast. The roots are whitish yellowish on the outside and white on the inside. It is easy to harvest a few pieces of roots, scrub them clean and process them into ‘candies’ or even easier for a non-sugar option: cut in small pieces and dry them (or process further into a powder). The extraction of the mucilage is quite simple, by maceration in cold water. Drink it up afterwards to soothe your throat or cough; there are benefits for other ailments as well. The mucilage and the leaves can also be used in external applications for skin inflammations.
PS. I am testing the GA3, stay tuned.
