Rosemary – Rosmarinus officinalis

Plant family: Lamiaceae

Plant origin: Mediterranean region.

Fruit description:

Flowers: The flowers are small and light blue, appearing in Spring

Growing conditions: Rosemary is a hardy evergreen woody shrub, which grows to about 1m tall. It grows easily. It has tough leathery pointed leaves which are dark green on top and pale beneath. It likes a cool, warm or temperate climate, low humidity, tolerates frost and likes dry conditions. It loves a coastal position. Grow Rosemary in light well-drained soil, in partial or full sun. It doesn't need feeding! It makes a handsome and useful border or low hedge. Then you can enjoy the aroma as you brush past it. It grows well in a pot or in a rockery. You can prune it hard after flowering to keep it compact.

Uses: Rosemary is a pungent savoury herb, often used with parsley, sage and thyme. It is delicious in herb bread or in tomato and bean based soups. It is excellent with potatoes and with meats especially lamb and pork. It is used in Mediterranean cooking. You can strip the leaves from the stems and thread food onto the woody stems for barbecuing, instead of using a bamboo or metal skewer. This imparts a pleasant aroma to the food. Try a pizza with just thinly sliced potato, salt pepper and rosemary leaves on it. An infusion of rosemary rinsed through your hair makes it smell lovely, and decreases dandruff. Rosemary oil is used in perfumes, shampoo and soap.

Medicinal uses: Rosemary is reputed to stimulate circulation, relieve mild depression and headaches, and may enhance the memory.

Pollination requirements: Self-Pollinating.

Harvest time Pick the leaves any time you wish to use them. You can dry the leaves. For drying Rosemary leaves, pick the stems, hang them upside down to dry. Store the dried leaves in an airtight jar.

Plant relatives

Special features: “Rosemary for remembrance” a famous line from Shakespeare's Hamlet. It is often worn on the lapel at funerals, or at war remembrance services. It can be placed on graves. Rosemary is a sacred plant.

Grown by method: Cutting Grown Pot size: 100mm

Plant growing Height and Width for pots or in the ground planting: Grows to 1 metres high by 1 metres wide if Planted in a Pot. Grows 1 metres high by 1 metres wide if Planted in the Ground.

Shipping plant pot or planter bag size: 100mm