About Rosemarry

by Laurie

History

Rosemary is considered to be the herb of fidelity. If you sprinkle some around the house it is said to bring good luck and protection.

It was believed to stimulate the brain and help the memory. Students in ancient Greece wore garlands of rosemary around their necks, or braided rosemary into their hair during exams.

Rosemary has been used at weddings, funerals, and even to ward off the plague. Rosemary stood for fidelity and was included in bridal bouquets. Sir Thomas Moore believed the herb to be sacred to remembrance and friendship.

In Hamlet, Ophelia said, "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance." According to legend, rosemary was used to awaken Sleeping Beauty.

The old custom of leaving rosemary at the graveside and for handing a bunch of it to those bereaved is carried on to this day. Before the advent of modern medicine rosemary was burned, along with juniper berries, as a disinfectant in French hospitals.

An old French term for rosemary was incensier - incense. Because Rosemary was easily harvested from the wild it was an incense used by the poor or lower classes as a substitute for expensive frankincense or myrrh-based incense in ancient Greece and Rome. The upper class and nobility could afford the more costly imported resins.

Growing Rosemary & Varieties

Rosemary is an herb in the labiatae (mint) family. A tender shrub with glossy, strongly scented, evergreen needlelike leaves with a flashy light stripe below and blue, lavender, or white flowers. Flowers are borne on old growth in late winter.

When grown outside in warm climates (zones 8-10), most rosemary cultivars can grow up to 6 feet high. Prostrate forms creep along the ground. Gardeners will find an added benefit to growing their own rosemary, as it is a natural insect repellant.

In warm climates, plant rosemary in well-drained soil and full sun, spacing plants 2 to 3 feet apart. Prune lightly to shape. In cold climates, grow rosemary in pots to bring indoors during winter.

Put them in a sunny window or under artificial lights. Use well-drained potting mix and be careful you don't water so much that the soil gets soggy. Fertilize once a month during the growing season with dilute, balanced, organic fertilizer.

In zone 7, try extra-hardy 'Arp' or 'Hill Hardy'. For a bright white flower, grow R. officinalis 'Albus'. For baskets or ground covers, try low-growing creeping rosemary, R. officinalis 'Prostratus'.

Start new plants by layering or stem cuttings. Rosemary will grow from seed, but the process is slow and is not always successful. Start indoors and transplant the seedlings. Darkness will aid germination.