Rosemary Officinalis

Description

Rosmarinus officinalis – rosemary

Botanical name: Salvia rosmarinus (syn. Rosmarinus officinalis)
Common names: Rosemary
Family: Lamiaceae (mint family)
Plant type: Evergreen aromatic shrub
Habit: Upright, bushy, evergreen shrub
Pot size: 1 litre pot
Eventual size: Approx. 1–1.5m tall × 1m spread
Foliage: Narrow, needle-like, aromatic dark green leaves, silvery beneath; evergreen
Flowers: Small, two-lipped blue flowers, mainly in spring but often on and off through the year
Scent: Strongly aromatic foliage
Aspect / light: Full sun
Soil: Sharply drained; poor to average; tolerates lime; dislikes wet; any pH
Hardiness: RHS H4 (hardy, to about −10°C); best with sharp drainage and shelter; USDA zones 8–10
Exposure: Warm, sheltered, sunny
Native range: Native to the Mediterranean
Toxicity / pet & child safety: Generally considered non-toxic to people and pets

Rosmarinus officinalis, rosemary, is a classic evergreen Mediterranean shrub with aromatic needle-like foliage and pretty blue spring flowers. Tough and drought-tolerant, it is superb for sunny borders, hedging and pots.

GardenAdvice notes

A classic Mediterranean evergreen shrub, rosemary is grown for its aromatic, needle-like foliage and its pretty blue spring flowers, which bees love. Tough, drought-tolerant and evergreen, it thrives in hot, dry, sunny, sharply drained positions and brings year-round structure and scent to a sunny garden.

Growing & planting

Plant in spring in sharply drained, poor to average soil in full sun, in a warm, sheltered spot — rosemary demands sun and good drainage and dislikes cold, wet, heavy ground, which is its main enemy. It tolerates lime and drought. Ideal for sunny borders, gravel, low informal hedging and containers. Improve heavy soil with grit.

Care & maintenance

Low-maintenance. Trim to shape after flowering to keep it bushy, but avoid cutting hard back into the old, bare wood, as rosemary is reluctant to reshoot from it. Water only while establishing; thereafter it is very drought-tolerant. Keep it on the dry side, especially over winter, to avoid rot.

Propagation

• Cuttings: Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer, which root readily.

Pests & diseases

Generally trouble-free in a sunny, well-drained spot. Its main enemy is wet, heavy soil, which causes rot. Rosemary beetle (a pretty metallic beetle) can occasionally nibble the foliage. Old plants can go woody and bare at the base.

Uses in the garden

Superb for sunny borders, gravel and Mediterranean-style gardens, low informal hedging, and containers, and lovely lining a sunny path where you brush past the scent.

Wildlife value

Rosemary is a superb early-season bee plant: its blue flowers, appearing as early as late winter and through spring, provide valuable early nectar for bees and other pollinators.

Toxicity & safety

This herb is generally regarded as non-toxic to people and pets.

GardenAdvice tip

Rosemary is a wonderful evergreen for a hot, sunny, well-drained spot — aromatic all year and covered in bee-friendly blue flowers in spring, sometimes as early as late winter. The one rule to remember: trim it after flowering to keep it bushy, but never cut hard into the bare old wood, as it struggles to reshoot from it.

Our plants are guaranteed for 24 months for more details Click Here