Common Marsh-Mallow vs Rough Marsh-mallow

Althaea officinalis compared with Althaea hirsuta

Key Differences

• Common Marsh-Mallow is Near Threatened while Rough Marsh-mallow is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Marsh-Mallow	Rough Marsh-mallow
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order same	Malvales (Malvales)	Malvales (Malvales)
Family same	Malvaceae	Malvaceae
Genus same	Althaea	Althaea
Species	Althaea officinalis	Althaea hirsuta

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Marsh-Mallow and Rough Marsh-mallow share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Althaea.

Conservation Status

Common Marsh-Mallow

NT — Near Threatened

Rough Marsh-mallow

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Marsh-Mallow	Rough Marsh-mallow
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Marsh-Mallow

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, montane grasslands and shrublands, and temperate coniferous forests, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Neotropic and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Algeria), Asia (India), Europe (13 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and South America (Peru). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Rough Marsh-mallow

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Georgia), Europe (12 countries), and North America (Canada, United States).

Common Marsh-Mallow

<em>Althaea officinalis</em>, the common marsh mallow, is a tall perennial herb in the family Malvaceae, native to Europe and western Asia and now widely distributed across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. It is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. This species typically grows in saltmarshes, brackish ditches, damp meadows, and coastal habitats, and is also cultivated in gardens for its ornamental and medicinal properties. Common marsh mallow produces pale pink, five-petalled flowers and lobed, velvety leaves covered in soft hairs. It has a long history of medicinal use, with roots, leaves, and flowers employed to soothe mucous membranes and treat respiratory and digestive ailments. The original marshmallow confection was prepared from the mucilaginous root extract of this species. It grows in a range of biome types including grasslands, wetlands, and forest edges. Habitat loss, particularly of coastal wetlands, represents the primary pressure on populations across its native range.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 7 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇨🇦 Canada 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇮 Slovenia 🇺🇸 United States