mallow

mallow

1. any plant of the malvaceous genus Malva, esp M. sylvestris of Europe, having purple, pink, or white flowers

2. any of various related plants, such as the marsh mallow, rose mallow, Indian mallow, and tree mallow

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

mallow

mallow

Very common worldwide and highly nutritious. Whole plant is edible. The leaves have a mild, pleasant flavor. Has thickening properties so it can be used as a soup base or thickener of liquid dishes. The root can be used also. Make into a tea to sooth the membranes of the entire digestive system. You can eat them raw or dry the upper part of the plant and make a tea out of it. When it cools, it will gel up a bit because the plan contains mucilage. This gel is a soothing compound that coats mucus membranes and soothes irritated tissues, making it great for throat, sinuses, bronchitis, emphysema. stomach, intestines, colon irritation (irritable bowel, ulcerative colitis), bladder, asthma, etc. It boosts immunity and makes hair curly if you put in hair and let it dry. It softens skin and increases milk flow in nursing mothers. The root can be used as substitute for ginseng. Mallow leaf teas are used in the treatment of renal (kidney) disorders, retention of fluids and conditions of the spleen. You can eat them fresh, put them in salads, dry and powder them and put in smoothies. Make mallow shampoo and lotion by putting mallow leaves in blender with a bit of water, let sit for an hour, strain out the pulp, leaving a jelly-like goo, then add pieces of inner yucca stem, blend again and use as shampoo or skin lotion. Mallow root can be used as a toothbrush by unravelling the end like untwisting the end of rope.

Edible Plant Guide © 2012 Markus Rothkranz

mallow

traditional symbol of gentleness or mildness. [Plant Symbolism: Flora Symbolica, 175]

See: Gentleness

Allusions—Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical: A Thematic Dictionary. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Mallow

 

any one plant of the genus Malva of the family Malvaceae. It is an annual, biennial, or perennial grass with long-petiolate leaves. The flowers, which are axillary and in small groups, are purple, lilac, pink, or white. The calyx has an epicalyx. The ripened fruit breaks into monospermous segments. There are approximately 40 species, distributed in the temperate and, less commonly, subtropical zones of the northern hemisphere. About 20 species are found in the USSR, primarily near dwellings and in gardens and parks; they also grow as weeds among crops, in deserts, and sometimes in thickets and light forests.

High mallow (Malva sylvestris), dwarf mallow (M. neglecta), M. mauritiana, curled mallow (M. crispa) and other species contain carotene and vitamin C, and their leaves and young shoots are used for food. The flowers and leaves of high mallow, which are rich in mucilage, have been used as a tincture for many years to treat inflammations and irritations of the mucous membrane. A dye for wool and wine is obtained from the flowers. The species M. meluca yields a coarse fiber suitable for making string, twine, and hemp; its seeds contain a semidrying oil. Certain species of mallow yield nectar. Musk mallow (M. moschata), M. mauritiana, and M. alcea are cultivated as ornamentals. Some annual varieties that are used as animal feed are known as fodder mallows. Sometimes one species of hollyhock is called mallow.

T. V. EGOROVA

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Mallow

 

several common wild plant species of the genus Malva. The best-known species are M. sylvestris, M. neglecta, and M. crispa; ornamental mallows include M. mauritiana and M.moschata.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.