Effect:
anti-inflammatory, astringent, expectorant, diuretic, softening, laxative
Areas of use:
Bruises, inflammations, insect bites, respiratory diseases, coughs, bronchitis, inflammation of the digestive tract, gastritis and intestinal inflammation, inflammation of the urinary tract, cystitis, as a laxative, gynecological problems, wounds
Parts of the plant used:
Flowers, leaves, roots, seeds
Collection time:
June to October
Can be found:
On weedy areas and fresh meadows.
Ingredients:
Anthocyanin glycosides, essential oils, chlorogenic acid, tannic acid, tannins, caffeic acid, malvin, polyphenols, mucilage
Other:
☕ Tea: Pour 250 ml of lukewarm water over 1 teaspoon of dried herb, leave to steep for 5 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally, then strain. Do not boil.
The musk mallow is a perennial herbaceous plant and reaches heights of 20 to 60 centimeters. The upper leaves are divided into five to seven sections down to the base, which in turn are divided into further sections. The individual sections are narrow and the edges run approximately parallel. The lower leaves are only roughly palmately divided up to halfway. In contrast to the rose mallow, the musk mallow has (branched) star hairs only on the sepals, while the rose mallow also has them on the upper part of the stem and leaves. The lateral inflorescences contain one to three flowers. The hermaphrodite flowers, which are said to smell of musk, are radially symmetrical and have five petals. The flowers have a calyx and a three-part outer calyx with linear to lanceolate and usually 1 to 1.5 millimeter wide outer sepals. The five white to white-pink petals are usually 2 to 2.5 centimeters long. In the subfamily Malvoideae, the many stamens are fused to form a tube surrounding the pistil, the so-called columna. (Wikipedia)
🛑 When the plant grows on nitrogen-rich soils (and especially when these are used inorganically), it tends to accumulate high nitrate concentrations in its leaves.
In the kitchen, the leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, for example in salads. The flowers are an edible decoration in various dishes.
The musk mallow has similar properties to the common mallow (M. sylvestris) and the marshmallow plant (Althaea officinalis), but is considered to be of inferior quality.