An aromatic and medicinal plant from the Hibiscus family, Ambrette (aka. Musk Mallow, Musk Okra; Abelmoschus moschatus, syn. Hibiscus abelmoschus) is an herbaceous perennial native to tropical Asia.
As it is tender to frost, fast and low growing, it is often used as an annual for its showy flowers. Ambrette typically has yellow flowers with purple centers, but is now available in other cultivars with pink, orange or red flowers.
➡️ After flowering, fruit capsules form that have a musky aroma and are edible and cooked in much the same way as okra. Historically it has been especially valued for their strong, sweet, musk‑like fragrance, which historically made them a plant‑based substitute for animal musk, and a nervine with calming properties.
The seeds from the fruit are also roasted and enjoyed with a flavor similar to sesame seeds, and also used as a flavoring for liqueurs or an aroma for coffee and to to sweeten the breath.
An essential oil is also obtained from the plant and used as a flavoring (ambrette) for a variety of foods, such as baked goods, ice cream and sweets.
The young leaves, shoots and roots are also edible and often cooked in soups as a vegetable. Ambrette is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) in the USA and commonly used as a flavoring.
Ambrette also has uses as a traditional herbal medicine, especially in Ayurveda and Unani. Its seeds are considered antispasmodic and good for the digestion. They may be chewed on as a nervine, a tonic for the stomach and for freshening the breath. They are also used as aphrodisiacs, and for their cardiotonic, demulcent, cooling, tonic and stimulant activities. A poultice of the bark is also used for wound healing.
Through scientific investigation, extracts have been found to be useful for improving insulin sensitivity, as an antioxidant, antiproliferative, diuretic, antiurolithiatic, antispasmodic, cardiotonic and antimicrobial. The Ambrette essential oil is also thought to be useful for depression, anxiety and topically for aching muscles and joints.