Rosemary or Salvia rosmarinus is a perennial herb with woody stems and evergreen, pungent, needle-like leaves. It is a part of the Lamiaceae or mint family and included in the genus Salvia. Until 2017, it was classified within its own genus of Rosmarinus and the common variety was known as R. officinalis. It is also known as ‘anthos’ which derives from the Greek word for flower.
The plant produces small pink, white, purple, or blue flowers similar to other Salvia species. But it is best known for its aromatic leaves, used throughout much of the world as a culinary herb and for traditional medicinal applications.
It is native to the Mediterranean and Eurasia but has naturalized in many other parts of the world due to its ability to withstand cooler weather. It is also drought tolerant thanks to it’s needle-like leaves and fibrous root system – making it very resilient to the point that it can become a little invasive in some environments.
Are you looking to add rosemary to your kitchen herb garden? Find out what you need to know in our growing, harvesting, and care guides down below. Happy gardening!
A favorite herb for using fresh or dried, rosemary is also a handsome, aromatic ornamental with needle-like leaves and masses of small blue flowers. Plants thrive in low water and poor soil conditions and are suitable for containers, ground covers, hedges, and more. Discover 13 of the best rosemary varieties in this guide.
Bring the pungent evergreen foliage of rosemary onto your deck or patio by growing it in containers. If you don’t have room in your garden, this versatile, easycare herb grows happily in pots and planters and provides ornamental interest in addition to its culinary uses. Learn how to grow rosemary in containers now.
If you don’t have the room for a full-sized tree, bring the cheer the holidays into your home but in miniature with a cute little pruned and shaped rosemary Christmas tree. Learn how to prune a rosemary plant into a mini Christmas tree and how to care for it during the holidays and beyond in this guide. Read more now.
Rosemary is a delightfully aromatic herb that is most commonly propagated from stem cuttings or by layering. Armed with the right information and just one established plant, you can easily grow countless more. Learn about the various methods of propagating rosemary in this step-by-step guide. Read more now.
Few plants are as versatile as rosemary. Highly fragrant, this evergreen is covered with pretty flowers in spring, is beloved in foods, and well-suited for growth in containers, as ground covers, specimens, or sculpted into topiaries. Here’s what you need to know about rosemary and how to grow this classic garden herb.
If you love the pungent evergreen foliage of rosemary but don’t live in the right growing zone to enjoy it year-round and are forced to let the plants die each winter, why not grow them indoors in containers instead? These easy-care plants make excellent indoor garden herbs. Learn how to grow your own in this guide.
Do you live in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-7 and would like to overwinter rosemary? This pungent, warm-weather herb from the Mediterranean is commonly used to season savory dishes and provides interest in the garden. Learn about the different cold-hardy varieties that can withstand brutally cold weather. Read more now.
If you’re growing rosemary in your garden, you might be wondering if it can survive the winter outside. Depending on your growing zone, there are a number of measures you can take to help your plants through the colder months, including mulching and potting-up. Learn how to protect your rosemary plants this winter.