Rosemary
Rosemary (
Rosmarinus officinalis L.) is a woody,
perennial herb with fragrant evergreen needles that are used in
cooking. Forms range from upright to trailing; the upright forms can reach 1.5 m tall. The flowers are are variable in colour, being white, pink, purple, or blue. Its fresh and dried leaves are used frequently in traditional Mediterranean cuisine as a
spice; a
tisane can also be made from them.
Classification: Rosemary is a member of the mint family
Lamiaceae, which also includes many other herbs.
The name
rosemary has nothing to do with the
rose or
Mary, but derives from the latin name
rosmarinus, which is presumed to mean "dew of the sea", though some think it too may be derived from an earlier name.
Since it is attractive and tolerates some degree of
drought, it is also used in
landscaping, especially in areas having a mediterranean climate. It in fact can die in over-watered soil, but is otherwise quite easy to grow for beginner gardeners. It is very pest-resistant.
Cultivars
\nThe most common cultivar in North American gardens during the 20th century was the prostrate (creeping) rosemary 'Lockwood de Forest', discovered in the garden of the landscape architect Lockwood de Forest and his wife Elizabeth, in Santa Barbara in 1920s. It has been unofficially known as Rosmarinus lockwoodi, R. Foresti\, or R. foresteri. Lockwood rosemary is derived from the cultivar 'Prostrata' from Mediterrean Europe.
Since the late 1990s, a darker prostrate cultivar, 'Irene' (Trailing Rosemary), has gained popularity. It was discovered by a garden designer, Philip Johnson, in his client's garden. It is named after his black Labrador Retriever. It is U.S. Plant Patent No. 9,124 'Renzels' (another petname of the dog). Its flowers are purple, whereas the Lockwood cultivar is paler blue.
Other cultivars include:\n* 'Albus': White flowers; low commercial value due to unpopularity among most gardners' lack of interest in its appearance\n* 'Majorica Pink': pink flowers\n* 'Ken Taylor': shrubby\n* 'Tuscan Blue': upright
Miscellaneous
\nRosemary has a very old reputation for improving memory, and has been used as a symbol for remembrance (as in worn during weddings and funerals) in Europe, probably as a result of this reputation; in Shakespeare's Hamlet, Ophelia says, "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance".
Rosemary can be added as an unusual extra flavoring in lemonade.
Rosemary is easily pruned into shapes and has been used for topiary. When grown in pots, it is best kept trimmed to stop it getting too straggly and unsightly, though when grown in a garden, rosemary can grow quite large and still be attractive.
Rosemary is a common woman's name in England.
External links
\n* Cultivar descriptions
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