Home • Herb Garden Planting Zones • Composting • Site Map • Resource Directory

Rosemary is extremely popular as a medicinal herb and essential when cooking with herbs

Rosmarinus officinalis

Plant Type: Half-hardy Perennial
Growing Zone: Zones 6-9

Growing rosemary is easily done and worthwhile for many uses.

A shrubby perennial, its woody stems are covered with short, narrow, very fragrant oblong leaves. Small blue flowers scatter over the plant. Its height can reach 3 to 6 feet. In areas where it is hardy, rosemary makes a nice hedge. It grows well also in containers or herb beds. Rosemary prefers dry, mild winters. It flowers in late spring to summer, depending on the species.

Outdoor planting is done after the last frost. It will take up to 21 day to germinate. The rosemary plant prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade. You can grow it in sandy, even somewhat poor soil if it has good drainage and a pH level of 6.0 to 7.5. Plants will not do well in wet or clay soil.

Keep in mind that rosemary roots are extremely sensitive to being disturbed. If you have to transplant, be extremely careful of the roots, leaving the root-ball intact.

In gardening zone 6 and south, caring for rosemary is easy; do not fertilize or water to excess in winter. Cut back any frost-damaged branches in spring and prune periodically throughout the year to keep it well-groomed and to limit size. Snip leaves for cooking use anytime.

North of zone 5, bring potted rosemary plants indoors during winters, providing 4 hours of strong lighting. Light is critical, any less and your Rosemary will slowly die of light starvation! Try to place your rosemary plant in good humidity, keeping the soil moderately dry; or place in a cool garage (45 degrees) with infrequent watering.

Rosemary is one of the powerful medicinal herbs and well known as a symbol of love, friendship and remembrance.

As an essential oil, rosemary is wonderful in bathwater, sachets, lotions and perfumes.

Rosemary, or rosmarinus officinalis, more than many healing herbs, was relied on by herbalists for use in infusions of its leaves for tonics, astringents, expectorants and in the treatment of depression, muscle spasms and headaches. When applied externally, rosemary oil ointment is said to help treat eczema, sores, bruises, wounds and rheumatism.
Cosmetically, rosemary’s volatile oil gets the blood flowing under the skin, so its use in baths can refresh and stimulate a tired body. The leaves can be used in tea form or in baths, or in an infusion for steam facials.

Rosemary oil, above lesser healing herbs, is considered an essential oil tonic for the scalp and is used in eau-de-cologne and many shampoos and hair concoctions. However, large quantities of the pure oil used therapeutically can upset kidneys, the intestines and the stomach.

Cooking with Rosemary

Rosemary, as a seasoning, is safe to use. As an herbal garnish, it has diverse uses with meats, fish, vegetables, soups and eggs. Both flowers and leaves can be used as garnish and flavoring. Last but not least, rosemary attracts bees and a fine honey can be produced from its nectar.

Here is a tasty recipe using Rosemary to spruce up potatoes:

Roast Potatoes with rosemary and garlic:

To roast more than two pounds of potatoes at once, use a second pan rather than crowding the first. If your potatoes are small, like new potatoes, cut them in halves instead of wedges and turn them cut-side up during the final 10 minutes of roasting.

2 pounds Red Bliss potatoes or other low-starch potatoes, scrubbed clean, dried, halved, and cut into ¾-inch wedges
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Ground black pepper
2 medium cloves of garlic
1/8 tsp. table salt
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.
Toss potatoes and olive oil in medium bowl to coat; season generously with salt and pepper and toss again to blend.
Place potatoes flesh side down, in single layer, on shallow roasting pan; cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook.
While potatoes roast, mince garlic cloves; sprinkle with salt and mash with flat side of chef’s knife blade until paste forms. Transfer garlic paste to large bowl and set aside.
After about 20 minutes of cooking potatoes remove foil; roast until side of potato touching pan is crusty golden brown, about 15 minutes more.
Remove pan from oven and carefully turn potatoes over using metal spatula. (Press spatula against metal as it slides under potatoes to protect crusts.) Return pan to oven and roast until side of potato now touching pan is crusty golden brown and skins have raisin-like wrinkles, 5 to 10 minutes more. In last 3 minutes of roasting time, sprinkle rosemary evenly over potatoes.
Remove from oven, transfer potatoes to bowl with garlic (again, using metal spatula and extra care not to rip crusts); toss to distribute and serve warm.

Thomas Kueny – Publisher http://www.growing-herbs.com