Althaea officinalis

The marshmallow plant is a perennial which has a height that can vary between two to four feet. The color of the flower itself is a pink or light pink variant or that of a pale gray. The flower is about 1 to 1.

5 inches in length and blooms in the fall months of August through October. They are round with unusual toothed margins and three to five lobes. The roots are a pale yellow, tapered, lengthy and thick. The flowers of the marshmallow root are used to make expectorant syrups.Marshmallow root has a long history dating back thousands of years as an herbal remedy for a cough, sore throat and other respiratory problems such as bronchitis and whooping cough (pertussis). This is due to the large amounts of mucilage found in the flower as well as the root.