Rosemary grows best in zones 8-10. It is suited to well-drained sandy or loamy soil, with a pH level between 6.6-8.5. It is important to keep the soil moist, but too much watering can promote root rot. It should be grown in the full sun and cannot grow in the shade. The Rosemary needs to be spaced 2-4 feet apart. The plant can grow 2-6 feet tall and 2-4 feet wide, and is in bloom from June to July. It is better to protect rosemary for the first winter and grow them indoors, then plant them outside during late spring. Plants should be pruned after the first bloom to encourage growth. In severe winter weather it may be necessary to protect the plant with straw. Avoid moving Rosemary bushes after it has been planted in the ground (1). The plant is tolerant to droughts so it would be good option for xeriscaping. It is a good companion plant to cabbage, beans, carrots and sage because it wards off insects and pests such as cabbage moths, bean beetles, and carrot flies.
Culinary and Medicinal Uses
In England, rosemary is used in stuffings for barbecued fish. It is a popular herb used in Mediterranean cuisines (3). Rosemary infusion is used in shampoos to treat dandruff and is also said to prevent baldness. Rosemary tea is a soothing drink promote sleep (1). Rosemary leaves have a bitter taste which pairs well with fatty foods like lamb or fish (2). Rosemary is popularly used in chicken dishes. The chicken can be roasted with rosemary or grilled on a skewer with rosemary. Rosemary is often used in aromatherapy to combat fatigue, depression, and nervousness (5).
Significance to Cultural Communities
Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean region. In Italy, sprigs of Rosemary are usually handed out by butchers when they sell meat. It is also a popular ingredient to for dressings used on roast lamb in England (3). Today, rosemary leaves are still used in Chinese, Unani, and Ayurvedic medicine to treat headaches. On Anzac day in Australia, people traditionally wear sprigs of rosemary. In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Juliet is presented with rosemary when she dies. It was also referenced to by Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet (5). In Mexico, rosemary is used in limpias which is a spiritual cleansing. In the ritual, rosemary bundles are burned in the corners of rooms. It is also used to to clean floors with since it has disinfecting properties (6).
“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance. Pray you love, remember.”
- William Shakespeare, Hamlet
1. Rosemary - Rosmarinus officinalis. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2013, from Herbal Gardens website: http://www.herbalgardens.com/archives/herb-monthly-archive/rosemary.html
2. Rosmarinus officinalis. (n.d.). Retrieved October 24, 2013, from Missouri Botanical Garden website: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=b968
3. Bramley, G. (Ed.). (n.d.). Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary). Retrieved October 24, 2013, from Kew Royal Botanic Gardens website: http://www.kew.org/plants-fungi/Rosmarinus-officinalis.htm
4. Rosmarinus officinalis. (2008). Retrieved October 26, 2013, from Plants for a Future website: http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Rosmarinus+officinalis
5. “Rosemaryarticle.” Monterey Bay Spice Company. http://www.herbco.com/t-rosemary-article.aspx
6. Davidow, Joie. Infusions of Healing: A Treasury of Mexican-American Herbal Remedies. New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1999