Rosemary

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the given name, see Rosemary (given name). For other uses, see Rosemary (disambiguation).

Rosemary
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Salvia
Species:
S. rosmarinus
Binomial name
Salvia rosmarinus
Synonyms[1]
  • Rosmarinus angustifolius Mill.
  • Rosmarinus communis Noronha
  • Rosmarinus flexuosus Jord. & Fourr.
  • Rosmarinus latifolius Mill.
  • Rosmarinus ligusticus Gand.
  • Rosmarinus officinalis L.
  • Rosmarinus palaui (O.Bolòs & Molin.) Rivas Mart. & M.J.Costa
  • Rosmarinus prostratus Mazziari
  • Rosmarinus rigidus Jord. & Fourr.
  • Rosmarinus tenuifolius Jord. & Fourr.
  • Salvia fasciculata Fernald

Salvia rosmarinus (/ˈsælviə ˌrɒsməˈraɪnəs/),[3][4] commonly known as rosemary, is a shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers. It is a member of the sage family, Lamiaceae.

The species is

Mediterranean region
, as well as Portugal and Spain. It has a number of cultivars and its leaves are commonly used as a flavoring.

Description

rosemary leaves
S. rosmarinus 'Prostratus'

Rosemary has a fibrous root system.[5] It forms an aromatic evergreen shrub with leaves similar to Tsuga needles. Forms range from upright to trailing;[5] the upright forms can reach between 1.2–1.8 metres (4–6 ft) tall.[6] The leaves are evergreen, 2–4 cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄2 in) long and 2–5 mm (1⁄16–3⁄16 in) broad, green above, and white below, with dense, short, woolly hair.[5]

The plant flowers in spring and summer in temperate climates, but the plants can be in constant bloom in warm climates; flowers are white, pink, purple or deep blue.[5] The branches are dotted with groups of 2 to 3 flowers down its length.[7] Rosemary also has a tendency to flower outside its normal flowering season; it has been known to flower as late as early December, and as early as mid-February (in the Northern Hemisphere).[8] The plant can live as long as 35 years.[9]

Similar species

Iberia and the Maghreb of Africa.[10]

Taxonomy

Rosemary plant

Salvia rosmarinus is now considered one of many hundreds of species in the genus

naturalist and founding taxonomist Carl Linnaeus.[12]

Etymology

Elizabeth Kent noted in her Flora Domestica (1823), "The botanical name of this plant is compounded of two Latin words [ros marinus], signifying Sea-dew; and indeed Rosemary thrives best by the sea."[13][14][15]

Distribution and habitat

Illustration from an Italian herbal, circa 1500

It is

BCE.[17] The herb was naturalized in China as early as 220 CE,[5] during the late Han dynasty.[18]

Rosemary came to England at an unknown date, though it is likely that the Romans brought it when they invaded Britain in 43 CE. Even so, there are no viable records containing rosemary in Britain until the 8th century CE. This mention was in a document which was later credited to Charlemagne, who promoted the general usage of herbs and ordered rosemary specifically to be grown in monastic gardens and farms.[19]

There are no records of rosemary being properly naturalized in Britain until 1338, when cuttings were sent to Queen Philippa by her mother, Countess Joan of Hainault.[20][21] It was then planted in the garden of the old palace of Westminster. Since then, rosemary can be found in most English herbal texts.[22]

Rosemary finally arrived in the Americas with early European settlers in the beginning of the 17th century, and was soon spread to South America and distributed globally.[5]

It is reasonably hardy in cool climates. Special cultivars like 'Arp' can withstand winter temperatures down to about −20 °C (−4 °F).[23] It can withstand droughts, surviving a severe lack of water for lengthy periods.[24] It is considered a potentially invasive species and its seeds are often difficult to start, with a low germination rate.[25]

Cultivation

Since it is attractive and drought-tolerant, rosemary is used as an ornamental plant in gardens and for

xeriscape landscaping, especially in regions of Mediterranean climate.[5] It is considered easy to grow and pest-resistant. Rosemary can grow quite large and retain attractiveness for many years, can be pruned into formal shapes and low hedges, and has been used for topiary. It is easily grown in pots. The groundcover cultivars spread widely, with a dense and durable texture.[5]

In order to harvest from the plant, the bush should be matured 2–3 years to ensure it is large enough to withstand it.[26] The amount harvested should not exceed 20% of the growth in order to preserve the plant.[26]

Cultivars

Numerous

cultivars
have been selected for garden use.

  • 'Albus' – white flowers
  • 'Arp' – leaves light green, lemon-scented and especially cold-hardy
  • 'Aureus' – leaves speckled yellow
  • 'Benenden Blue' – leaves narrow, dark green
  • 'Blue Boy' – dwarf, small leaves
  • 'Blue Rain' – pink flowers
  • 'Golden Rain' – leaves green, with yellow streaks
  • 'Gold Dust' – dark green leaves, with golden streaks but stronger than 'Golden Rain'
  • 'Haifa' – low and small, white flowers
  • 'Irene' – low and lax, trailing, intense blue flowers
  • 'Lockwood de Forest' – procumbent selection from 'Tuscan Blue'
  • 'Ken Taylor' – shrubby
  • 'Majorica Pink' – pink flowers
  • 'Miss Jessopp's Upright' – distinctive tall fastigiate form, with wider leaves.
  • 'Pinkie' – pink flowers
  • 'Prostratus' – lower groundcover
  • 'Pyramidalis' (or 'Erectus') – fastigiate form, pale blue flowers
  • 'Remembrance' (or 'Gallipoli') – taken from the Gallipoli Peninsula[27]
  • 'Roseus' – pink flowers
  • 'Salem' – pale blue flowers, cold-hardy similar to 'Arp'
  • 'Severn Sea' – spreading, low-growing, with arching branches, flowers deep violet
  • 'Sudbury Blue' – blue flowers
  • 'Tuscan Blue' – traditional robust upright form
  • 'Wilma's Gold' – yellow leaves

The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:[28]

Uses

Illustration from Köhler's Medicinal Plants
MHNT

Culinary

Dried leaves

Rosemary leaves are used as a flavoring in foods, such as

marinades.[5][33][34][35]

Fresh or dried leaves are used in traditional Mediterranean cuisine, having an aroma of pine which complements many cooked foods.[34][35] Herbal tea can be made from the leaves. In some cooking, the woody stem, stripped of its leaves, is used as a skewer.[34]

Fragrance

Essential oil

Hungary water, dating to the 14th century, was one of the first alcohol-based perfumes in Europe, and was primarily made from distilled rosemary.[36] Rosemary oil is used in perfumes, shampoos, cleaning products, and aromatherapy.[5][35]

Phytochemicals

Rosemary

A-pinene, caffeic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, carnosic acid, and carnosol.[35][37]
Rosemary essential oil contains 10–20% camphor.

Rosemary extract, specifically the type mainly consisting of carnosic acid and carnosol, is approved as a food preservative in several countries, having E number E392.[38]

In culture

Rosemary was considered sacred to ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks.

De Materia Medica, one of the most influential herbal books in history.[41]

The plant has been used as a symbol for remembrance during war commemorations and funerals in Europe and Australia.[42] Mourners would throw it into graves as a symbol of remembrance for the dead. In Australia, sprigs of rosemary are worn on

Gallipoli Peninsula, where many Australians died during World War I.[42]

Several Shakespeare plays refer to the use of rosemary in burial or memorial rites. In

Ophelia says, "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance. Pray you, love, remember."[43] It likewise appears in Shakespeare's Winter's Tale in Act 4 Scene 4, where Perdita talks about "Rosemary and Rue".[44] In Act 4 Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence admonishes the Capulet household to "stick your rosemary on this fair corse, and as the custom is, and in her best array, bear her to church."[citation needed] It is also said that "In the language of flowers it means 'fidelity in love.'"[45]

Rosemary is one of the four herbs mentioned in the refrain of the folk song "Scarborough Fair."

In the Spanish fairy tale The Sprig of Rosemary, the heroine touches the hero with the titular sprig of rosemary in order to restore his magically lost memory.[46]

Rosemary is used in Danube Swabian culture for christenings, weddings, burials and festivals; for example, an apple with a sprig of rosemary in it is used for Kirchweih celebrations.[47]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Salvia rosmarinus Spenn". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  2. ^
    S2CID 90993808
    .
  3. ^ "Salvia". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster.
  4. ^ a b "Rosemary". California Plant Names. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  5. ^
    Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International
    . 3 January 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  6. ^ Mahr, Susan. "Rosemary, Rosemarinus officinalis". Wisconsin Horticulture. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  7. ^ Mahr, Susan. "Rosemary, Rosemarinus officinalis". Wisconsin Horticulture. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  8. ^ McCoy, Michael (27 June 2012). "The good graces of rosemary". The Gardenist. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  9. ^ Federal Register. Volume 52, Issues 13-20 - Page 2228. Retrieved on 6 Oct. 2023. "Mature rosemary approaches senescence at an age of 30-35 years…it releases toxic chemicals into the soil that inhibit or prevent the growth of most other plants, resulting in areas of relatively bare, open sand between the shrubs."
  10. ^ "Salvia jordanii J.B. Walker". Plants of the Worls Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  11. S2CID 25645455
    .
  12. ^ Linnaeus, Carolus (1753). Species Plantarum. Vol. 1. p. 23. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  13. ^ Kent, Elizabeth (1823). Flora Domestica, or the Portable Flower-Garden. Taylor and Hessey. p. 330.
  14. ISBN 978-0-415-03060-1
    .
  15. ^ Wedgwood, Hensleigh (1855). "On False Etymologies". Transactions of the Philological Society (6): 66.
  16. ^ Mahr, Susan. "Rosemary, Rosemarinus officinalis". Wisconsin Horticulture. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  17. ^ Leafy Medicinal Herbs: Botany, Chemistry, Postharvest Technology and Uses by Dawn Ambrose, 216, 210-11
  18. ^ "Han dynasty | Definition, Map, Culture, Art, & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  19. ^ The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs: History, Botany by Deborah Madison, 2017, p.266
  20. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/22110. Retrieved 2023-06-26. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)
  21. ISSN 0895-769X
    .
  22. ^ A Brief History of Thyme and other Herbs by Miranda Seymour, 2002, p.96
  23. doi:10.1002/ffj.2730010402
    .
  24. ^ "How to Grow Rosemary". Garden Action. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  25. ^ Shepherd, Lizz. The Complete Guide to Growing Vegetables, Flowers, Fruits, and Herbs from Containers. Page 127. Retrieved on 6 Oct. 2023. "Rosemary seeds can be hard to start, with a slow germinating time and a low germination rate, which means many seeds do not develop into plants."
  26. ^ a b Mahr, Susan. "Rosemary, Rosemarinus officinalis". Wisconsin Horticulture. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  27. ^ Rosemary Archived 2012-04-22 at the Wayback Machine. Gardenclinic.com.au. Retrieved on 2014-06-03.
  28. ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 93. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  29. ^ "Rosmarinus officinalis (Angustifolia Group) 'Benenden Blue'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  30. ^ "Rosmarinus officinalis 'Miss Jessopp's Upright'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  31. ^ "Rosmarinus officinalis 'Severn Sea'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  32. ^ "Rosmarinus officinalis 'Sissinghurst Blue'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  33. ^ "About the Herb Rosemary and Uses". The Spruce Eats. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  34. ^
    ISBN 978-0-470-42 135-2
    .
  35. ^ a b c d e "Rosemary". Drugs.com. 24 June 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
  36. S2CID 162639733
    .
  37. PMID 24518346
    .
  38. PMID 25639596
    .
  39. ^ Capuano, Thomas M. (2005). "Las huellas de otro texto médico en Don Quijote: Las virtudes del romero". Romance Notes (in Spanish). 45 (3): 303–310.
  40. ^ Pliny the Elder, The Natural History, trans. John Bostock (London: Taylor and Francis, 1855)
  41. ISBN 0-620-23435-0
    .
  42. ^ a b "Rosemary". Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  43. ^ Shakespeare, William (11 January 2019). "Hamlet, Scene 13". Internet Shakespeare.
  44. ^ Shakespeare, William (2005). The Winter's Tale. Simon & Schuster. p. 139.
  45. ^ Brewer, E. Cobham, Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 14th ed., London: Cassel, Petter, Galpin, and Co., no date [1880 per Google Books], p. 765.
  46. ^ Lang, Andrew (1897). The Pink Fairy Book. Longmans, Green and Co. p. 237.
  47. ^ "Rosemary in the Life of the Danube Swabians by Hans Gehl". www.dvhh.org. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
Wikispecies has information related to Rosmarinus officinalis.
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