Marshmallow

Althaea officinalis

Tall mallow with soft grey-green leaves and pale pink flowers. Mucilaginous root and leaf are demulcent — soothing for digestive and respiratory tract irritation.

Hardiness ratings

Marshmallow hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 3–9 −40 °C to −1.1 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H7 down to −20 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 3–9 −34 °C and warmer Plant tolerates down to this zone
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 1–5 −15 °C to 10 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone

Growing notes

  • Original source of the marshmallow confection — modern marshmallows contain none of the plant
  • Drought tolerant once established but flowers better with consistent moisture
  • Always consult a qualified medical or herbal practitioner before using any plant medicinally

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Marshmallow against your zones

Reference

Marshmallow on Wikipedia