The plant is althaea officinalis - it may have had a connection with the plant in a dim and distant English past, but these days it has none. matzah - aka matzo unleavened bread, basically a dry biscuit.    From Wordnik.com. Reference

04: 24 pm: Why I Love althaea - 13 shouts of denial.    From Wordnik.com.  [September 2004] Reference

Why I Love althaea.    From Wordnik.com.  [How To Play Miniature Golf] Reference