Rosemary
Genus: Rosmarinus officinalis
Family: Labiatae
Introduction
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) originated in the Mediterranean. Rosemary is the herb of friendship, love and remembrance. In Ancient Greece it was common for the men to give rosemary to their ladies. Tapping someone with a rosemary branch in bloom was said to make them fall in love with you. Many brides in Europe still wear the traditional sprigs of rosemary in their hair on their wedding day as a sign of love and fidelity.
The name Rosmarinus comes from the Latin “dew of the sea.” Rosemary often grew by the sea in Greece and Italy.
Examples
The most well known Rosemary is Rosmarinus officinalis. Rosmarinus officinalis comes in both upright and prostrate (creeping) varieties.
Benenden Blue, Collingwood Ingrami, Lockwood de Forest and Miss Jessup all bloom with blue flowers. Majorica Pink blooms with pink and Alba blooms with white flowers.
Special Features
St. Thomas More said of rosemary: “I lett it runne all over my garden wall, not onlie because my bees love it, but because ‘tis the herb sacred to remembrance and therefore to friendship….”
Many still believe that rosemary is a memory stimulant. In Ancient Greece students wore wreaths of rosemary to help them with their studies. Some wore sprigs of rosemary in their hair to help remember something specific, especially while taking their exams. Still others, placed it in a pillow when they went to sleep at night.
It has also been believed that the beautiful rosemary shrub will not grow taller than six feet or live longer than 33 years so as to not surpass Christ.
Centuries before the invention of the refrigerator, ancient people wrapped meats in crushed rosemary leaves to preserve the meats and to leave a fresh smell and succulent flavor.
Rosemary has also long been used for medicinal purposes. Queen Elizabeth of Hungary (1235) was said to have used rosemary branches soaked in wine to allegedly cure paralysis. Rosemary wine has been used for gout, dandruff, baldness prevention, menstrual problems and nerve and skin problems. The French hung rosemary in the hospitals and sickrooms and also burned it in combination with juniper berries as an antiseptic. Studies have also shown that rosemary has antioxidant properties and might be useful in reducing the risk of cancer.
Many naturalists use rosemary as a hair rinse to condition hair. Mixed with shampoo it can also be used to strengthen hair.
Hardiness
Rosemary is considered a hardy perennial in zones 8-10 and a tender perennial in zones 6-7. It can be grown in places where winter temperatures do not fall below 10° F. It can also be a container plant as will be discussed later.
Growth habit
Rosemary has both creeping and upright varieties. Most varieties in the U.S. are of the upright variety. Upright rosemary will grow between 3 and 5 feet tall, but can get as tall as 6 feet in some warm areas. Rosemary grows as a shrub and should be pruned, not sheared when it is getting bigger than wanted. Rosemary is not a plant that will take over your herb bed. It is a respectful plant and not invasive. Creeping varieties grow very well as a trailer over walls and window boxes. Both can be grown in pots and shaped into topiaries or bonsai. When pruning your Rosemary make sure not to cut more than 20% of the plant.
Bloom Time
Rosemary is ordained with beautiful “dew-like” flowers, the most well known being blue. Flowers will last from spring to late summer in a warm and humid climate. But the real beauty in the rosemary plant are the aromatic leaves, shaped like pine needles and more aromatic.
In the warmer zones, Rosemary will stay green all year round.
Propagation
Propagation is typically done by cuttings or sometimes layering. A plant should be 2-3 years old before attempting to take cuttings from it for propagation. While rosemary seeds are available, the success rate in germination is very low.
To produce a new plant by layering, peg down a small branch of the old plant into the soil using a piece of wire until the roots are well established. After the root system is strong, carefully remove the new plant from the old.
Young plants need moisture, but not too much or root rot can take over. New plants should be planted in early fall to allow them to harden off before winter sets in.
Transplanting
Rosemary does not take well to transplanting. If it likes the spot chosen for it, it can grow for up to 30 years. If you must transplant your rosemary, avoid cutting any of the roots and dig up as much of the original ball of soil as possible. Rosemary has a very long root; make sure to get it all.
Soil
pH for Rosemary’s soil should be between 6.5 and 7.0. It needs well drained soil. Rich soil is not good for Rosemary. Near neutral soil is best for your plants and the soil must drain well.
Irrigation
Rosemary is considered drought tolerant, but it sill needs some irrigation. During the first growing season, water plants every 3-5 days while the root system is being established. After the first year, water plants if they show signs of wilting.
Sunlight
Rosemary needs full sun. It can survive in afternoon shade in very hot areas, but in most areas, put it in a sunny location.
Care
If given the right growing conditions, Rosemary takes little care. Keep tall plants from arching over young plants while they are establishing. Keep moist, but not wet Make sure soil is draining. Fertilizer is not necessary for Rosemary.
Growing Rosemary in containers is a bit trickier. Because it is an evergreen shrub root rot can develop easily in a pot. Well drained soil, mixed with perlite, is essential. Make sure your pot is big enough. Pots will need to be at least 12 inches deep and 12 inches across to handle the root system.
Inside Rosemary needs a sunny window where air is cool and the air circulation is good. Mist the plant once or twice a week and turn the plant every couple of days so that every side gets sunlight.
Before taking it outdoors in the spring, harden the plant off just like a new seedling.
For an easy to care for herb that gives you a multitude of uses, rosemary is a great choice.
Pests and Diseases
Pests seldom bother Rosemary. Rosemary is actually used to deter certain pests such as mosquitoes and wool moths.
The main disease you will need to be concerned with is root rot. Well drained soil and making sure plants are not over watered will eliminate this.
Indoors you will need to guard against powdery mildew. Keeping good air circulation (even with a fan) and misting the plant often will help this. If your plant is affected by this and you catch it early, foliage can be misted with a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda to one quart water.
References
Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs
by Claire Kowalchik and William H. Hylton (Editors)
Herb Gardening for Dummies
by Karan Davis Cutler, Kathleen Fisher, National Gardening Association
The New Healing Herbs
by Michael Castleman