Spray Of Mallow
by Connie Handscomb
Title
Spray Of Mallow
Artist
Connie Handscomb
Medium
Photograph - Photography - Fine Art
Description
Nature itself is the best physician.
~ Hippocrates
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White Mallow (marsh mallow)
Althaea officinalis ( fr the Greek meaning �to heal�)
Family : Malvaceae
One is likely to see this tall, graceful wildflower swaying gracefully in a meadow, along a gravel roadside, or in someone's butterfly garden. Its elegance belies its hardiness: it will grow just as happily in damp soil as in dry. While originally native to Europe and northern Africa, it is now widespread in southwest England and North America.
The white mallow is known for soothing inflamed skin and healing persistent sores. The indigenous tribes made a poultice from the leaves, stems and flowers, and used the roots to make a tea for coughs and stomach ulcers. Teething babies were given marsh mallow sticks to chew on. Flowers were chewed to relieve toothache.
Nicholas Culpeper made a mallow liquor to treat his son, and in the 16th century it became a popular cure-all. The Austrian healer and herbalist, Maria Treben, is reputed to have used the mallow in a gargle, and as a poultice, to treat a man successfully of his larynx cancer. She used mallow foot and hand baths for healing bone fractures.
The confection we know as the Marshmallow was once cooked from this plant's roots. It has been used in soups (note: large doses of mallow act as a laxative!), and the seeds have been sprinkled in salads. Salads of mallow leaves and petals aid digestion.
The white mallow is becoming rare in its native habit but thank fully is easy to grow as a garden plant.
Sources:
Herbs : Complete Gardener's Guide [P.Lima;T.Forsyth]
Backyard Medicine [J.Bruton-Seal;M.Seal]
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On a walk anywhere in our neighbourhood, one will come upon any one of several varieties of mallow .... as I did here, in the summer sunlight: nature in all its splendour.
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♥ Heartfelt Gratitude to FAA groups for featuring this image
Global Flowers Photography
The Most Beautiful Flowers,Photog.Only
All images are © Connie Handscomb
Thank you for for respecting the copyright.
© All Rights Reserved
Uploaded
September 27th, 2016
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Viewed 226 Times - Last Visitor from Fairfield, CT on 04/17/2024 at 4:01 PM
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Comments (14)
Rachel Morrison
Excellent! So sweet and delicate and effervescent!
Connie Handscomb replied:
Oh , a lovely comment, Rachel, from sweet & effervescent you ... thank you enormously!;))
Connie Handscomb
Thank you, Beth! for featuring this image in The Most Beautiful Flowers, Photog. Only:))
Connie Handscomb
Grateful to you, Jasna, thank you! for featuring this image in Global Flowers Photography:))
Linda Lees
Beautiful floral image Connie, I like that touch of pink in the flower's centre. L/F
Connie Handscomb replied:
Hi Linda! Thankyou! I do , too! I had a great day of sunshine when this was captured... provided a nice, bright green background for me ;))
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