As its name suggests, marshmallow is a water-loving plant that grows in marshes, wet meadows and along stream banks. The tall and lanky perennial has thick, starchy white taproots that have served as a food source during times of scarcity and for wilderness foragers for millennia.

Medicinally, marshmallow roots have a high concentration of mucilage, a fiber that forms a soothing gel when combined with water. A popular demulcent, marshmallow root is used to alleviate coughs, sore throats, and stomach upset — as well as topically to soothe skin irritations and promote healing.

The unique texture and starchy sweetness of marshmallow roots made them popular in old-fashioned dessert recipes. Notably, marshmallow roots were used by French confectioners to create a medicinal lozenge that ultimately inspired the spongy white confection with the same name — although marshmallow roots are no longer an ingredient in commercial marshmallows.