Salvia rosmarinus (Rosemary) Herb Plant

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) previously Rosmarinus officinalis. Herb in 1 Litre Pot

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is absolutely essential in a culinary herb garden. It is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant evergreen needle-like leaves, and is native to the Mediterranean region, and as such, prefers a light, sandy soil, which will fully satisfy its meagre feeding needs. Having said that, Rosemary herb is tolerant of most soil conditions as long as they are not water-lLitreogged. True to its origins, Rosemary herb prefers sunny and sheltered conditions. It will stand frosts if conditions are not windy and wet as well.

Rosemary is one of the most decorative herbs and is well worth growing for its appearance alone, as it can reach heights of 2m if left for long enough. Rosmarinus officinalis will produce small, pale blue flowers in late spring, creating a beautiful display.  Rosemary is very attractive to bees and other pollinating insects. It can also be grown as an informal dividing hedge, great in the vegetable garden where it is said to deter Carrot root fly. It also makes a great container plant especially useful if you are in a really cold or exposed site where it may need some shelter over winter.

If left unpruned Rosemary can become straggly and untidy so should be pruned after flowering to keep it compact.  As a guide, prune after the first main flush of flowers. Regular picking of the leaves especially the tips of the branches for cooking acts as an ongoing pruning regime and helps keep the plant bushy and compact.

Herb Usage

The leaves of the Rosemary plant are extremely aromatic, and can be finely chopped and used to flavour a variety of dishes, especially stuffing. Many cooks simply cut sprigs of rosemary and place with roasted meats, especially lamb, pork, chicken and turkey.  beautiful when chopped and added to roasting potatoes, or added to tomato based dishes. The leaves of plant can be made into a tea to aid digestion. The leaves can be dried to add to dishes too. You can also use the leaves in an infusion for bath water too, to aid relaxation of muscles whilst stimulating the mind. It is of course distilled into an essential oil and added to many cosmetic products. The Rosemary herb plant is said to help memory and indeed in the language of flowers it is used to denote remembrance. It is said also to prolong life!

Buy Rosemary Online

Our potted Rosemary herb plants are generally available to buy online all year round.