Rosemary
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Rosemary

Salvia rosmarinus syn. Rosmarinus officinalis

Plant Family

Lamiaceae – Mint family

Other Names

Spanish: Romero7

Parts Used

Leafy tips

Uses

Traditional support for healthy brain function, memory, and alertness.*

Traditional cognitive support.*

Traditional support for the circulatory system.*

Prominent Phytochemicals

Volatile oils (including borneol, camphene, camphor, cineole, limonene, and linalool), flavonoids, diterpenes, diterpene lactones (including rosmaricine), triterpenes, polyphenols (including rosmarinic acid), vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C, minerals (including calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc), and resins.1,4,5,6

Did you know?

In early times, it was believed that “wherever Rosemary flourished, the woman ruled the house.”3

Learn More

Description

Rosemary is a perennial shrub that can be found in both erect and creeping, prostrate cultivars, with the erect cultivars growing from 2 to 6 feet tall.1,2 Rosemary’s leaves are evergreen, needle-like, and dark green with a leathery texture, arranged in opposite pairs.1,3 The leaves will grow ½ to 1 inch long with a glossier sheen on top and a grayish-white fuzz on the underside.2,3 As the plant grows and becomes more established, the stem becomes woodier and darker gray in color. Rosemary’s flowers are small and blue, pink, or white and are arranged in whorls around the stem.1,2 Found at the base of the calyx, its seeds are nutlets in groupings of four.1

Origins & History

Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean basin and favors warm climates.1,2 Although it can be grown in cooler climates with greater attention and care, faring well as a container plant.2 The plant prefers to grow in light, dry soil near a semi-sheltered area (for example, near a low wall).3


It can be propagated in many ways, such as stem cuttings, layering, or by seed with mixed results. Root division is said to be the most difficult method of propagation for this plant.2


While the flowers typically bloom from May to July in warmer climates, they will bloom later or not at all in colder climates.2 The plant may be appropriately harvested at any time during the growing season, whether before, during, or after flowering. When pruning for frequent kitchen use, trim not more than half of the stem and enjoy the new branched growth encouraged by cutting.2 While there are varieties that have leaves with gold or silver stripes that are not as hardy, the green-leaved variety is used in herbalism.3


Commercial cultivation occurs in California, and internationally in Portugal, Spain, Morocco, France, Albania, and the former Yugoslavia.2


For centuries, this shrub has been considered a staple in herb gardens, including those of Pliny the Elder and Charlemagne’s insistence of its inclusion in the imperial farms.2 In the 1600s, Rosemary and Yew, were commonly trimmed into topiaries of green gargoyles displayed in the gardens of the rich.2


An herb with a long history of use dating back to ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt, Rosemary is still highly revered in herbalism and the kitchen. The former genus name, Rosmarinus, translates to “dew of the sea” given how the Mediterranean Sea spray collects on the leaves of the plants in its indigenous habitat 1,2 Some ancient names of this herb were the Greek: Libanotis, Sephanomatike, Polion, and Kachrys, and in Latin, Libanotis coronaria, Rosmarinum coronarium, Herba salutaris.5 The ancients also used Rosemary in religious ceremonies as a cheaper alternative to incense, so much so that the French called it incensier.3


Rosemary has plentiful traditional and symbolic uses, many of which carry an air of superstition. From being used as a traditional herb for anointment to decking churches for weddings and funerals and being used in magical spells, Rosemary’s history is deep and fascinating.3 Rosemary was commonly cultivated in kitchen gardens.2 In early times, it was believed that “wherever Rosemary flourished, the woman ruled the house.”3 In addition, Rosemary was often used to help protect a space.3 A strong scented sprig of Rosemary would be burned in hospitals and thrown on the coffin at burials, a tradition that is still custom in some parts of Wales.3 It was also custom to plant a Rosemary bush outside of one’s home to protect the space from “evil influences.”3


"Hungary water” was a popular traditional recipe using Rosemary that some herbalists still prepare. The Queen of Hungary, who popularized the recipe, prepared her Hungary water by distilling fresh Rosemary into spirits or wine.3 She would use it for both well-being and for Rosemary’s desirable aromas.3 A handwritten recipe by Queen Elizabeth of Hungary, dating back to 1235, is said to still be preserved in Vienna, Austria.3


The saying goes, “Rosemary for remembrance,” so in addition to taking Rosemary internally for traditional cognitive health support, some folks would use Rosemary symbolically in this way.3 For instance, in marriage ceremonies, Rosemary was presented as a gift and worn as a wreath to help remember the love and loyalty the couple had for one another.3*


The sprigs were also used in holiday decorations.3


‘Down with the Rosemary and so,

Down with the baies and Mistletoe,

Down with the Holly, Ivie all

Where with ye deck the Christmas Hall.’

-Herrick3


The essential oil of this herb was commonly used in past times as perfume for various topical ointments, liniments, and rubs.1 When distilling the herb for its essential oil, the flowering tops are said to be superior.3 It is estimated that just 8 oz of the essential oil is made from 100 pounds of the fresh plant in flower.3 Rosemary is still popularly used in various products among the food, perfume, and cosmetics industries today.6


Rosemary’s traditional uses and virtues still apply today, and the herb is starting to gain more interest with herbalists again. As we continue to see new articles be published and promoted, hopefully, we will start to see a “Rosemary resurgence” beyond its many flavorful culinary uses in the kitchen.

References

  • Felter, H.W. & Lloyd, J.U. (1898). King’s American Dispensatory. Retrieved from: https://www.henriettes herb.com/eclectic/kings/rosmarinus.html
  • Foster, S. (1993). Herbal Renaissance. Layton, UT: Peregrine Smith Books.
  • Grieve, M. (1931). A Modern Herbal (Vol. II). New York, NY: Harcourt, Brace & Company.
  • Hoffman, D. (2003). Medical Herbalism. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.
  • Holmes, P. (1997). The Energetics of Western Herbs, (Volume 1), Revised Third Edition. Boulder, CO: Snow Lotus Press.
  • Skenderi, G. (2003). Herbal Vade Mecum. Rutherford, NJ: Herbacy Press.
  • Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. Plants of the World Online. Rosemary. Accessed 11 Jan 2025.
  • Herbalist Recommendations: