Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is an evergreen shrub that is grown for its gray green foliage. Often used as a culinary herb, rosemary is also a popular landscaping plant in many parts of the world, and some varieties can grow to six feet in height. Smaller creeping varieties make excellent, dense groundcovers.
Keeping Rosemary
A half hardy perennial that cannot overwinter in cold climates, rosemary has distinctive needle shaped leaves and blue, white, or pink flowers that will typically grow in small clusters at the leaf axils. Rosemary needs full sun and well-drained soil that has been amended with lime. Established plants can survive for many years if left undisturbed, and make excellent borders and hedges that require infrequent pruning.
Growing Rosemary Indoors
Rosemary can overwinter indoors in harsh climates, and can even exist happily as a houseplant if it has a sunny window and you watch the humidity. When housing rosemary indoors, be careful to keep the plant away from cold drafts and give it at least six hours of sunlight a day during the summer months.
The plant stems can be very rigid, so use caution when moving or watering the plant. Rosemary can be a tricky indoor guest if you have it in a very dry location. It likes some moisture in the air, but doesn't like wet feet. Keep a dish of pebbles filled with water nearby, and only water when the surface of the dirt feels dry. If you start to see a few bald patches on overwintering plants, don't worry; they'll fill in quickly in spring.
If you've adopted a rosemary bush as a mini Christmas tree, you can keep it from year to year with a little extra care. It's a green choice, and a tasty one too.
Propagating Rosemary
A very slow grower, and difficult to germinate, it's easiest to propagate rosemary in pots from tip cuttings that have been dipped in rooting compound. Give plants room to grow as they don't like to be repotted, and make sure that the potting mix has been amended with lime.
Harvesting Rosemary
Only harvest stems from established plants, removing four to five inches of new growth. Make a sharp clean cut in order to avoid damaging the plant and inviting disease. Rosemary can be used fresh or dried. Unlike many herbs, rosemary doesn't contract as much in the drying process, so use the same quantity of dried rosemary as you would fresh and keep the remainder in a cool dark place. Dried rosemary makes an excellent decorative swag, or base for an herb wreath.
Cooking With Rosemary
Rosemary has a strong, astringent flavor that works well with strongly flavored game, lamb, and veal. It is also a good accompaniment to roasted vegetables, particularly potatoes. The leaves can be tough, so either use small sprigs of rosemary that you can remove from your dishes before serving, or chop the leaves fine. A good way to imbue grilled dishes with rosemary's distinctive flavor is to soak woody stems in water and then place them on the coals to smoke.
Rosemary for Remembrance
The famous quote from Shakespeare's "Hamlet" has sealed rosemary's reputation as the herb of remembrance for modern generations: "Here's rosemary for you, that's for remembrance." (Hamlet, iv. 5.)
References to rosemary occur frequently in literature and folklore. It was prominently employed during religious ceremonies like weddings and funerals, and was used as a tonic for treating headache and growing hair. It was also grown along fences as a sign of friendship. In Lady Rosalind Northcote's "The Book of Herb Lore", she says that rosemary has, "always been of more importance than any other herb, and more than most of them put together."
Add a little history, flavor, and style to your garden this year by growing rosemary. If you live in a cold climate, keep your plant in a pot and bring it indoors in the fall. You will be rewarded by its distinctive fragrance, lush green color, and many useful applications.
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