Rosmarinus officinalis

Evergreen shrub reaching 1.5 m tall and wide, growing at medium rate. Hardy to UK zone 6, not frost tender, and remains in leaf year-round. Flowers bloom March to October with seeds ripening August to October. Hermaphroditic flowers attract bees and the plant is self-fertile. Thrives in light sandy and medium loamy, well-drained soils across mildly acid to very alkaline pH ranges. Requires full sun, tolerates drought, and can withstand maritime exposure.

Description

A herb or shrub with a smell. It is a shrub 1.5-1.8 m high and 1.5 m wide. The stems are densely covered with green needle-like leaves. They are grey-white on the underside. The shrub often sprawls. The bark is dark grey with irregular cracks. The leaves are like needles. The leaf blade is 1-2.5 cm long by 1-2 mm wide. The flower is blue-purple. It is less than 1 cm across. A number of varieties have been selected. Now Salvia rosmarinus

Edible Uses

Young shoots, leaves, and flowers can all be used raw or cooked. The leaves have a strong, somewhat bitter and resinous flavour, while the flowers are milder. All are used in small quantities to flavour soups, stews, vegetables such as peas and spinach, and sweet dishes including biscuits, cakes, jams, and jellies. They can be used fresh or dried. Because of their tough texture, leaves are best used either very finely chopped or added as whole sprigs that can be removed after cooking. A fragrant tea can be brewed from the fresh or dried leaves, and is said to be especially pleasant when mixed with tansy.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are used fresh and dried. They need to be chopped or crushed to release the flavour. It is used with meat and in soups and stews. They are also used in stuffings, sauces and sausages. Fresh or dried leaves can be used for tea. (They are often combined with tansy.)

Medicinal Uses

Rosemary is a well-established domestic tonic, particularly valued for lifting low mood, mental fatigue, and nervous exhaustion. Research has confirmed it is rich in volatile oils, flavonoids, and phenolic acids with strong antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Rosmarinic acid shows potential in treating toxic shock syndrome, and the flavonoid diosmin is reported to be more effective than rutin at reducing capillary fragility. Rosmarol, a leaf extract, has demonstrated remarkably high antioxidant activity. The whole plant is antiseptic, antispasmodic, aromatic, astringent, cardiac, carminative, cholagogue, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, nervine, stimulant, stomachic, and tonic. An infusion of flowering stems made in a closed container to retain the steam is used for headaches, colic, colds, and nervous complaints. A distilled water from the flowers serves as an eyewash. Leaves can be harvested in spring or summer and used fresh or dried. This remedy should not be prescribed for pregnant women, as excessive use can cause abortion. An essential oil distilled from the stems and leaves is used medicinally; oil from the flowering tops is superior but less commonly available. It is applied externally as a rubefacient, added to liniments, rubbed into the temples for headaches, and used internally as a stomachic and nervine. The essential oil is also used in aromatherapy, where its keyword is 'Stimulant'. The German Commission E Monographs approve rosemary for rheumatism, dyspeptic complaints, loss of appetite, and blood pressure problems.

Known Hazards

Should not be prescribed for pregnant women, as excessive use can cause abortion.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It is frost hardy. It grows naturally on rocky hillsides. It does best with well drained light soil. It grows best in the sun. It can grow in areas with low rainfall. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 6-11. In Hobart Botanical gardens.

Where It Grows

Africa, Albania, Algeria, Andes, Andorra, Asia, Australia, Azores, Balkans, Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Central America, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo DR, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Crete, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Europe*, France, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Libya, Macedonia, Mediterranean*, Mexico, Middle East, Morocco, North Africa, North America, Norway, Pacific, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Sicily, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tasmania, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye, USA, Venezuela, West Indies, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Prefers a hot sunny position and a slightly alkaline light dry soil. Dislikes very heavy soils. Intolerant of excessive winter wet. Likes a stony calcareous soil. Plants are smaller when grown on chalky soils, but are more fragrant. Fairly tolerant of maritime exposure and very tolerant of salt spray. Succeeds in a hot dry position. Hardy to between -10 and -15°c, but plants can be damaged or killed in severe winters, old plants are the most susceptible. Rosemary is a polymorphic species that is commonly grown in the ornamental and herb gardens, there are many named varieties. Traditionally, the plant is a symbol of friendship and fidelity and a wreath of it would be worn by a bride to denote love and loyalty. It was also carried at religious ceremonies and funerals in the belief that its pungent scent would ward of disease and evil spirits. The whole plant is highly aromatic. The cultivar 'Corsican Blue' is more aromatic than the type. Very tolerant of pruning, plants can regenerate from old wood. A good bee plant, producing pollen early in the year. A good companion for most plants, including cabbages, beans, carrots and sage. Grows badly with potatoes. An evergreen. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. Heat Zone 12-8. Rosemary leaves can be harvested year-round, but they are best harvested in spring or early summer when the plant is actively growing. Rosemary typically flowers in spring to early summer, usually between April and June (Northern Hemisphere) . Rosemary is a moderately fast-growing plant, often reaching maturity in about 2 to 3 years, depending on the growing conditions. Rosemary is generally self-fertile, meaning it can produce seeds with its own pollen.

Propagation

Sow seed in spring in a cold frame or greenhouse — germination can be slow. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when large enough and grow on under cover for the first winter, then plant out in late spring or early summer. Half-ripe heel cuttings, 10–18cm long, taken in July or August and placed in a frame or shady border, root very easily — usually within 3 weeks. Give plants some protection over their first winter before planting out in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of young shoots taken in spring and placed in a frame also root well within about 3 weeks; prick into individual pots and plant out during summer. Layering can be carried out in summer.

Other Uses

The growing plant is said to repel insects from neighbouring plants, and branches or sachets of leaves are placed in clothes cupboards to deter moths. An infusion of the dried leaves and flowers is used in shampoos; combined with borax and used cold, it is considered one of the best hair washes available and is effective against dandruff. An essential oil from the leaves and flowering stems is used in perfumery, soaps, and medicinal preparations — 1 kilo of oil is obtained from 200 kilos of flowering stems. The oil is often added to hair lotions and is said to help prevent premature baldness. The leaves are burned as incense, fumigant, and disinfectant. A yellow-green dye is obtained from the leaves and flowers. The cultivar 'Prostratus' can be used as ground cover in a sunny position and is suitable as a zone 2 firebreak groundcover. The plant can be grown as a hedge with reasonable resistance to maritime exposure, though severe cold combined with sea winds can cause damage; trimming is best done after flowering. The cultivars 'Miss Jessopp's Upright' and 'Fastigiatus' are particularly well suited to hedging. Rosemary flowers are rich in nectar and pollen, attracting bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Its dense foliage provides shelter and roosting sites for small birds and other animals, while woody stems and leaf litter offer overwintering habitat for beneficial insects. The plant's strong scent also acts as a pest confuser, helping to deter unwanted insects from companion plants.

Other Information

It is used especially in Italian cooking. It is cultivated.

Notes

There are 2-5 Rosmarinus species. Some people only recognise one species.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Akil otu, Azir, Bibera hurik, Biberiye, Gilapejm, Mi die xiang, Romani, Romarin, Romero, Rosmarino, Rusmari, Rusmarin, Sea Dew

References (76)

• Aceituno-Mata, L., et al, 2021, The Persistence of Flavor: Past and Present Use of Wild Food Plants in Sierra Norte de Madrid, Spain. Front. Sustain. Food Syst., 11 January 2021
• Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 530
• Bernal, R., et al, (Eds), 2016, Catalogo de Plantas y Liquenes de Colombia, Volumen 2, Magnoliaceae a Zygophyllaceae. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. p 2531
• Bianchini, F., Corbetta, F., and Pistoia, M., 1975, Fruits of the Earth. Cassell. p 200
• Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 400

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