Plant Profile: Rosemary

I love rosemary! It is a very versatile plant for my area. Being a mediterranean plant, rosemary loves hot, dry areas. That is perfect for the high desert of California! For me, my rosemary plants are practically maintenance free. I have many plants in the ground and in pots and both ways of planting them have been successful.

I love that rosemary is an evergreen. This winter I have become a little obsessed with getting more evergreens planted in our yard. I miss the greenery in winter and rosemary does not disappoint. Plus rosemary has another winter bonus. It blooms! My rosemary will have blossoms beginning after Thanksgiving and continue through to spring. It is very rewarding to have something blooming in the winter.

Rosemary is a very long living shrub. Many websites say that rosemary will grow for 30 years or more! I believe it. I calculated my oldest rosemary plant to be 17 years old. My dad gifted it to me when Rick and I first moved into our house. He had grown it from one of their plants. It is a massive plant now because I pretty much let it grow the way it wants to. This plant has already survived so much from our dogs, to severe summer temperatures, snow and so much wind and yet it keeps on growing and providing beautiful greenery, blossoms and leaves for me to cook with.

Another huge benefit to growing rosemary is that most animals do not want to eat it. Rosemary is deer, rabbit and squirrel resistant because most animals are deterred by its strong scent. Rosemary is one of the plants my mom always recommends because she could grow it around the horse pens and they would leave it alone. I have wild rabbits in our yard and have yet to see any damage from them. 

If my rosemary has not already provided enough for me, it is a delicious herb that I enjoy cooking with. Snipping a few sprigs for roasted potatoes is one of my favorite kitchen uses.

Rosemary is a hardy plant that can handle being trimmed. I usually like to leave my plants alone to grow as they please but they can handle a trim and clean-up. Some people even trim theirs into a cone shape to be used in place of a Christmas tree during the holidays. I talk more about this and rosemarys connection to Christmas in this blog post.

Interesting Rosemary Facts

Rosemary is nothing short of being an extremely fascinating plant seeped in so much history, folklore and medicinal purposes.

• Rosemary is a member of the mint family.
  • Rosemary is related to basil, marjoram, bee balm, catnip, hyssop, lavender, marjoram, oregano, sage, thyme and winter savory.
• Native to the Mediterranean and its ability to grow well along the dry, rocky coast is why its name is derived from the latin name ros marinus meaning “dew of the sea.”
• 7,000 years ago ancient Egyptians considered rosemary sacred and springs of rosemary were found in the tombs buried with the Pharaohs. Rosemary was used during the embalming process and in the bouquets for the funeral ceremonies. 
• Romans and Greeks used rosemary for culinary and medicinal uses dating back to 500 b.c.
  • Greek scholars believed rosemary improved memory and often wore a garland of rosemary around their head to help them during examinations. It is also mentioned that they slept with rosemary under their pillows to help their memory.
  • Rosemary is thought to bring good luck to newlyweds and baskets of the herb were offered to the couple on their wedding day. Brides wore rosemary as a symbol of love, happiness and loyalty.
  • As a symbol of remembrance, a sprig of rosemary was often placed in the hands of the deceased at burial. Mourners also leave rosemary at gravesites in honor of remembering the dead.
  • Rosemary is mentioned in five of Shakespeare’s plays.
  • Legend has it that rosemary’s flowers were once white. During Mary’s flight to Egypt she placed her cloak on a rosemary bush while resting. After she removed her cloak the flower’s color changed to the color of Mary’s cloak and retained her scent.
• In traditional medicine rosemary is considered slightly stimulating and used as a popular aromatic for tonic and liniments.
  • Distilled rosemary oil was used for the first modern perfume in Hungary.
    • Eau de Cologne that Napoleon Bonaparte used was made from rosemary.
  • Rosemary’s fragrant oil is used in toiletry products, cosmetics, perfumes and insect repellants.
• Rosemary is a traditional herb used in Mediterranean dishes and now all around the globe.
  • Rosemary is a good source of vitamin A, C, B6, Thiamin, Magnesium, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Manganese, and Fiber.
  • Rosemary is believed to help increase circulation, boost memory, reduce inflammation and protect our immune system.
• In the 9th century, Charlemagne insisted the herb be grown in the royal gardens.

Quick Facts:

Rosemary can be easily propagated from a cutting or from seed. I have had success with both methods. If starting from seed make sure to not cover the seeds with soil. Gently press the seed into your favorite seed starting mix and then mist the seeds and soil. Tiny seeds such as rosemary need light to germinate.

If you are starting cuttings from your favorite plant, snip a stem at a minimum of 6”-8” and strip the leaves or branches leaving 2”-3” at the top and simply place the stems in water. Place your jar in a warm, bright location and wait for the roots to begin to form. Make sure you regularly replace the water with fresh water.

I hope you have enjoyed this blog post about rosemary and that you are encouraged to give rosemary a try! I don’t think you will be disappointed by this magnificent herb.

Happy desert gardening!

Joy Simper has a full time job as a home schooling stay at home mom. She is the one that holds the house and yard together and keeps the kids in line. She enjoys gardening, including seed starting and propagating plants.