Plant Profile Rosemary

Plant Profile: Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis or Salvia rosmarinus)

Rosemary is a woody perennial or “sub shrub.”  Rosemary’s Latin name has been recently changed to reflect the fact that it is actually part of the sage (or salvia) family.

It comes in many forms from prostrate to vertical and in foliage shades that range from blue-green to golden yellow.

Rosemary ‘Arp’ is a reliably hardy variety for the Mid-Atlantic region. It can withstand our freeze-thaw-freeze winter cycles, which can often be the demise of other rosemary varieties.

The key is good drainage and full sun. Don’t overwater it as it is susceptible to root rot. An ideal situation is to plant it overhanging a rock wall. Be sure to give it room as it can spread to four feet wide and high.  

Rosemary is drought-tolerant and deer-proof. Pollinators love it. Honeybees are especially attracted to the tiny blue or white flowers.

There is usually no need to fertilize it, though a little fish fertilizer occasionally will not hurt.

To start new plants, it is best to take cuttings as it is difficult to grow rosemary from seed.

When using it in cooking, snip off young stems and leaves for the freshest taste. You can take up to a third of the plant at any one time, then let it recover before harvesting from it again.

At holiday time, you will see potted-up rosemary plants sold in grocery stores. These are often quite root-bound and will not live long in indoor conditions. Take cuttings liberally and use them for cooking and decoration, then discard the plant when it starts to decline.

Try growing Rosemary in your garden today – you can grow that!
The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine and edited by intern Jessica Kranz.
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