Althaea (plant) Althaea (plant) Althaea is a genus of 6–12 species of perennial herbs native to Europe, North Africa and western Asia. It includes "Althaea officinalis", also known as the marshmallow plant, whence the fluffy confection got its name. They are found on the banks of rivers and in salt marshes, preferring moist, sandy soils. The stems grow to 1–2 m tall, and flower in mid summer. The leaves are palmately lobed with 3–7 lobes. "Althaea" species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including "Bucculatrix quadrigemina". The genus formerly included a number of additional species now
Melilotus officinalis capacity in poor soils. Sweet clover is a major source of nectar for domestic honey bees as hives near sweetclover can yield up to 200 pounds of honey in a year. Sweetclover has been used as a phytoremediation—phytodegradation plant for treatment of soils contaminated with dioxins. In the chemical industry, dicoumarol is extracted from the plant to produce rodenticides. When "M. officinalis" is invasive, it can be managed by mulching, hand-pulling, mowing, or herbicide applications such (e.g., 2,4-D) before flowering. Prescribed burns in late fall or early spring followed by another burn in late spring can reduce the number of