Althaea officinalis Althaea officinalis Althaea officinalis, or marsh-mallow, is a perennial species indigenous to Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa, which is used in herbalism and as an ornamental plant. A confection made from the root since ancient Egyptian time evolved into today's marshmallow treat. The stems, which die down in the autumn, are erect , but can reach 6′6″ (2m), simple, or putting out only a few lateral branches. The leaves, shortly petioled, are roundish, ovate-cordate, long, and about 1 inch broad, entire or three to five lobed, irregularly toothed at the margin, and thick. They are soft and velvety on
Sweet potato suburban and rural areas. Fried sweet potatoes coated with caramelized sugar and served in skewers ("camote cue") are popular afternoon snacks. Sweet potatoes are also used in a variant of "halo-halo" called "ginatan", where they are cooked in coconut milk and sugar and mixed with a variety of rootcrops, sago, jackfruit, and "bilu-bilo" (glutinous rice balls). Bread made from sweet potato flour is also gaining popularity. Sweet potato is relatively easy to propagate, and in rural areas that can be seen abundantly at canals and dikes. The uncultivated plant is usually fed to pigs. In Indonesia, sweet potatoes are locally