Althaea, or marshmallow (_Althaea officinalis_), is a perennial herb
introduced from Europe which now grows wild in marshy places near
the sea in Massachusetts and along tidal rivers in New York and
Pennsylvania. The root forms the official drug, but the leaves and
flowers also are sometimes used medicinally.
Althaea will grow well in almost any loose garden soil of moderate
fertility, but tends to winterkill in situations where the ground
freezes to a considerable depth. The plants may be propagated from
seeds or from divisions of the old roots made early in the spring.
The seed may be sown in the open in shallow drills at least 3 feet
apart, and the seedlings should be thinned to stand 16 inches apart in
the row. Under good conditions the plants attain a height of 3 or 4
feet; therefore, close planting does not give sufficient room for full
development.
In the second year of growth the roots are harvested, washed, peeled,
cut into short lengths, and thoroughly dried. Yields at the rate of 800
to 1,000 pounds of dry root per acre have been obtained. The prewar
wholesale price usually ranged from 12 to 20 cents a pound. The price
in June, 1920, was 25 to 27 cents a pound. The annual importation of
this root averages about 30,000 pounds. In view of the amount of hand
labor required in preparing the root, the relatively low price, and the
rather limited demand, the cultivation of this plant for profit is not
very attractive.