Marshmallow - An Herb You Need To Grow

When people ask me about my favorite or most useful herb, Marshmallow always makes the list. Let me explain why.

Marshmallow is a beautiful plant, and a carefree addition to your garden. It's a pollinator magnet, and all parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine. It's not terribly picky about sun or shade, and the fuzzy leaves and pinkish blooms make it a fun plant to show off.

The truth about Marshmallow, though, is that it's nearly impossible to source high quality root to use in your preparations. For years I was underwhelmed about this plant that herbalists raved about. I bought it, brewed it (albeit incorrectly) and ended up with a glass of what looked like pond water and didn't taste much different. (Yes, I have actually tasted pond water, don't ask.) 

The first time I tried infusing my own Marshmallow root I was stunned. The color was clear to white, the smell pleasant, and the mucilage...if you've never experienced fresh marshmallow mucilage you should.

What is mucilage? It's not really something we want in general...it's the slime, or goo, that comes out when marshmallow root is allowed to soak in cold water. The technical term is polysaccharides, but most of us just call it slime. 

While the appearance might be off-putting, the actions aren't. Marshmallow is reliably moistening and cooling to dry or hot conditions. It can soothe a sore throat, help loosen phlegm, coat a hot digestive tract, and even help a sunburn feel better. 

Why not just buy it? 

When big farms process Marshmallow, they use machinery that cuts the root into tiny pieces. A lot of the mucilage is lost during the process. Also, they use higher heat to dry it quickly and thoroughly, resulting in the brown water that takes a lot of root to get that mucilage you're looking for. 

In the end it's more expensive to buy that a lot of other herbs, easy to grow, provides a big bang for your buck, and the quality is incomparable to what you buy. For my family, three plants can provide enough to get us through a year easily. 

Check back to see how to brew Marshmallow the right way, and a tip I have for speeding things up when you need it in less that 8 hours....