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Mallow is a one- or two-year-old plant belonging to the Malvaceae family. Its distinctive characteristic is a branched stem, reaching 1,2 meters in height, and rounded leaves, sometimes shaped like a heart. The mallow blooms in August with whitish-pink small flowers, and its fruits are the very “rolls” that are well known to many of us from childhood. Note that this plant got its name precisely because of the similarity of the fruits with the prosphora bread used in church ceremonies.
Mallow usually grows along roads, in wastelands, and its cultivars can decorate the front gardens of amateur gardeners, because their flowers are brighter and larger.
Plant species
As noted above, there are many types of mallow. There are more than one hundred and twenty of them, but about ten species are most widespread. Most of them are wild-growing weeds, but there are also those that are planted in vegetable gardens and front gardens on purpose – as ornamental and medicinal plants. At the same time, it is worth emphasizing that not only “domesticated”, but also wild-growing types of mallow have medicinal properties.
So, low mallow is an annual plant that is found mainly in wastelands, near roads, as well as in mountain gorges and dried up rocky riverbeds. In height, it reaches no more than twenty centimeters. This species blooms in June with small white flowers.
Mallow is a biennial plant. It is this species that is most often used in folk medicine, and not only flowers, but also leaves and roots have medicinal properties. Often this weed is also called forest mallow. Its height varies from 0,3 to 1,2 m. The flowers are quite bright, pink-purple in color, their diameter is 3-4 centimeters. The flowering period lasts almost throughout the summer, from June to August, and in September the fruits ripen. It is customary to collect flowers of this species during the period when flowering is just beginning, leaves – during the summer, and roots – in the fall. The collected raw materials must be dried in the open air and used for medical purposes, which will be discussed below.
Musk mallow is a species that is grown for decorative purposes. It differs from its “brothers” in a pleasant smell. This is a perennial plant, the stem of which reaches one meter in height. The flowers are usually white or pale pink in color and look quite impressive due to their pomp and the fact that they do not fade for a long time. Musk mallow is usually planted in a sunny place and fed with complex fertilizer.
Curly mallow is a plant native to China. This species differs from its counterparts in that it grows incredibly rapidly. This is a real bush that can reach two meters in height. Its greenery is unusually large and dense – leaves with a diameter of a soup bowl, wavy, with a characteristic fringe along the edge, do not dry for a long time and do not turn yellow. Curly mallow is grown, given its size, usually not in front gardens, but in vegetable gardens, and where it would not interfere with other plants. Often it is used as a hedge – giant plants perfectly protect the site from the wind and other people’s indiscreet eyes. Moreover, its leaves do not turn yellow and do not fall off not just until the first frost, but before severe frosts. This type of mallow is used for decorative, food and medicinal purposes. Salads, green borscht are prepared from it, the leaves are used as a filling for pies and dumplings, as well as raw materials for medicinal preparations.
Stockrose mallow is a perennial plant, the height of which varies from 0,4 to 1,2 meters. The branched stem is covered with tufted hairs. Flowers are usually at the top of the stem and form lush pink inflorescences. Stockrose mallow is a plant that is known primarily for its healing properties. In folk medicine, leaves, stems, roots and flowers are used.
Healing properties and chemical composition
Mallow won recognition among representatives of traditional medicine due to its unique chemical composition. All parts of the plant contain ascorbic acid (the content in the leaves reaches 3% by weight, and in the flowers – 1% by weight), carotene (the content in the leaves up to 0,05%), as well as a large amount of mucus.
Also in the chemical composition of the mallow there is anthocyanin glycoside malvin C29Н35О17Cl is a substance that is included in most modern and very expensive cough syrups.
Features of the chemical composition determine the beneficial properties of this plant. It is an effective enveloping and anti-inflammatory agent, has a softening, soothing, mild diuretic effect.
Indications for use
Most often, traditional medicine uses the aerial part of the mallow – in other words, leaves, flowers and fruits. Indications for the use of products based on mallow are:
- Diseases of the respiratory organs and respiratory tract: pneumonia, tonsillitis, tracheitis. Mallow infusion helps to restore the voice, get rid of hoarseness, remove inflammation of the tonsils.
- Burns, wounds and other skin lesions – infusion of mallow reduces inflammation, promotes healing.
- Constipation, intestinal atony – due to the huge amount of mucus in the composition of mallow, it helps to solve the problem of “lazy” intestines.
- Flatulence, colitis, gastritis, enterocolitis, inflammatory processes of the digestive tract. In addition, in Central Asia, an infusion of mallow seeds is considered one of the mildest and most effective laxatives.
- Cystitis and other diseases of the excretory system.
- Avitaminosis, general weakness after illness or surgery, low immunity.
- Periodontal disease, stomatitis and other diseases of the oral mucosa.
- Blepharitis, conjunctivitis and other eye diseases.
Recipes of traditional medicine
Traditional healers know many recipes for using mallow. We invite you to explore just a few of them.
For respiratory diseases
With sore throat and dry cough, pour twenty-five grams of dry grass into 300 g of boiling water. Strain after an hour. Take 100 g every two hours until the symptoms completely disappear. This infusion also helps to restore the voice torn by coughing, if you gargle with it every hour.
Pour 10 g of flowers and leaves in 200 milliliters of boiling water in an enamel bowl. Boil over low heat or using a water bath for a quarter of an hour. Cool, strain and make up to 200 ml. It should be taken 60 ml three times a day – this remedy will facilitate the discharge of sputum, relieve sore throat.
Place 10 g of flowers or leaves of the plant in an enamel container, then pour 240 ml of boiling water. Filter after two hours. Take 60 ml three times daily with honey to relieve bronchitis.
In case of congestive bronchitis with thick sputum, pour a liter of boiling water over 30 g of dried flowers of the forest mallow, leave in a thermos for five to six hours, then drink it warm during the day in five doses.
For sore throat, prepare a gargle based on the following ingredients: wild mallow flowers, mullein flowers, coltsfoot leaves and marshmallow root. It is necessary to mix them in equal parts and pour one tablespoon of the collection with 240 ml of boiling water. Leave to infuse for twenty minutes, then gargle.
For bronchitis, prepare a tea by mixing equal parts mallow flowers and leaves with coltsfoot leaves. Pour 25 g of the mixture with 240 ml of boiling water, leave to infuse for twenty minutes. It should be taken 80 ml three times a day after meals, adding honey.
With influenza and bronchitis, the syrup from the flowers of the forest mallow will speed up the recovery. Pour a glass of fresh petals with 500 ml of boiling water, cover and leave warm so that the medicine is infused for half an hour. After that, filter, add one kilogram of sugar and a pinch of citric acid. Store this syrup in a dark, cool place. You need to drink one tablespoon three times a day.
For the treatment of wounds, burns, tumors
Prepare an infusion based on four tablespoons of low or wild mallow and 500 ml of boiling water. The remedy should be infused for about forty minutes. After that, strain and use for lotions twice a day.
Prepare a collection of one part wild mallow flowers, one part chamomile flowers, one part marshmallow root, one part sweet clover herb, and three parts flaxseed. Pour boiling water over 40 g of the collection to form a slurry. Wrap it in a cloth and apply like a poultice to the sore spot.
Pour 30 g of dry collection from the leaves and flowers of the forest mallow with a liter of boiling water. The remedy will be infused for ten minutes. Use for lotions.
For diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
Brew 15 grams of dry mallow flowers in a thermos using a liter of boiling water. After half an hour, strain and take 100 ml half an hour before meals. The duration of treatment for diseases of the liver and pancreas is three weeks.
With flatulence, pour two tablespoons of crushed roots of the forest mallow into 240 ml of boiling water. Boil for half an hour, after which the remedy will infuse for a quarter of an hour. Drink warm, 80 ml three times a day.
Mix 20 g of wild mallow, calendula and linden flowers each. Pour 20 g of the collection with a glass of boiling water and let it brew. Take half a glass twice a day for gastritis and colitis.
For constipation, pour 10 g of flowers with a liter of boiling water. The remedy will be infused for about ten minutes, then strain. Drink 240 ml four times a day.
To get rid of pancreatitis, mix a teaspoon of freshly squeezed juice from the flowers and leaves of the forest mallow with honey. Pour the mixture with a glass of warm boiled water. Drink a glass four times a day.
With a decrease in immunity
For three weeks, drink tea prepared as follows: add 15 ml of boiling water to 240 g of musky mallow flowers and leave to infuse for five minutes. Strain and drink hot with honey.
With conjunctivitis
Pour 15 g of dried flowers and leaves of wild mallow with a glass of boiling water. Let it brew for half an hour, then strain. Use for compresses on the eyelids.
Prepare 25 g of crushed leaves, roots and flowers of musky mallow. Add 0,5 cups of boiling water. The remedy will be infused for two hours. Wash your eyes.
Contraindications for use
Since the mallow is not poisonous, there are no special contraindications to its use. However, phytotherapeutists warn that it should be used with caution by those in an “interesting position” and lactating women, children, and people prone to allergic reactions.
Use in cooking
This plant is used not only in traditional medicine, but also in cooking. So, you can cook green borscht from curly mallow leaves or use them instead of cabbage for making cabbage rolls. Boiled curly mallow leaves with cheese or cheese and with the addition of spicy greens can be an excellent filling for pies. Note that dishes from the leaves of mallow are very common in Georgian cuisine.
In addition, curly mallow leaves can be pickled for the winter. To prepare the marinade, you will need the following ingredients: 500 ml of water, 15 g of sugar, the same amount of salt, 20 ml of 5% vinegar, 5 black peppercorns, the same amount of allspice, 1 g of cloves, two bay leaves. Rinse young mallow leaves with cold running water. Place in a glass container, then fill with hot marinade and close the lids. Store the workpiece in a cool place. Pickled leaves can be used for salads and soups.
We also offer to cook a delicious puree soup with leaves of wild or curly mallow. You will need the following ingredients: one and a half liters of water, 600 g of young mallow leaves, one potato, one leek, one turnip, one carrot and turnip each, two tablespoons of olive oil, one celery root, a teaspoon of parsley, the same amount of greens dill, two tablespoons of flour, a glass of milk, two yolks, salt and pepper to taste.
Rinse vegetables thoroughly, peel and cut. Boil them in salted boiling water and wipe in a blender. Note: We’ll still need the vegetable broth, so don’t throw it away.
Brown the flour in a tablespoon of oil. Add it to the vegetable puree, pour in the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Add mallow leaves and boil for five minutes.
Pour egg yolks into milk and add this mixture to our future soup. Add chopped parsley and dill to it. At the final stage, pour in a spoonful of vegetable oil and put on fire again, but do not bring to a boil. The soup is ready.
Another interesting dish is mallow caviar. To prepare it, you will need the following ingredients: 100 g of mallow leaves, 40 g of nettle leaves, 30 g of sorrel leaves, 25 g of onion, two small garlic cloves, 15 g of olive oil, 25 g of tomato sauce, ground black pepper and salt to taste.
Rinse the mallow, nettle and sorrel thoroughly. Then blanch for a minute. Then chop the herbs with a blender.
Pass the onion and add to the greens. Pour the tomato sauce there, add the pepper and garlic, previously grated with salt. Place the mixture in a saucepan and simmer for a quarter of an hour over low heat.