Althaea officinalis      Marshmallow
Size:  6' x S 5'     Bloom:  Pale pink from July to SeptemberCulture: Full sun  moist well drained, fertile soil    Heat and drought tolerant, stands up to wind with no staking needed  
Native: Central, south and east Europe

Palest pink blossoms with velvety gray-green leaves dress a 6' tall stalk from June through September. Ancient Romans used the leaves and flowers to repel lice and fleas. The root, with a lot of sugar, made the original marshmallow, a medicinal candy used in 16th century England to ease pain, "helpe bloody fluxes, the stone and gravel and gripping of the belly;" void offensive humors, make milk for nursing, cure bee stings, dandruff, balding and coughs. Philadelphian Bartram received seeds from Europe. Grown by Charlemagne and Thomas Jefferson.