Althaea officinalis times of scarcity consequent upon the failure of the crops, this plant, which grows there in great abundance, is collected heavily as a foodstuff. The leaves, flowers and the root of "A. officinalis" (marshmallow) have been used in traditional herbal medicine. This use is reflected in the name of the genus, which comes from the Greek (""), meaning "to heal." Marshmallow was traditionally used as relief for irritation of mucous membranes, including use as a gargle for mouth and throat ulcers and gastric ulcers. The flowers and young leaves can be eaten, and are often added to salads or are
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