Perennial. The flowers and leaves of this highly scented herb are used to season and garnish food. Rosemary is also flavored by herbalists as an insect repellent, a hair and scalp tonic and a breath freshener. A shrubby evergreen herb that provides a delightful seasoning to poultry and meat dishes. Also used in soups, and a yellow/green dye. Attracts bees and can be made into topiaries. Most varieties are low-growing and have needle-like gray-green leaves and pale blue flowers, 4 to 5 feet tall. Use as a ground cover or a hedge or plant in boxes among other herbs. Zones 8 – 10. Indoors, look for scale pests and wipe them from the foliage with cotton soaked with rubbing alcohol. Snip fresh foliage as needed all year.

Rosemary is a popular companion for cabbage, broccoli and related crops as well as carrots and onions. The fragrance is said to repel insects. Companion gardeners use it for cabbage flies, root maggot flies and other flying pests. The small flowers will attract large number of bees. Use springs of rosemary as a dry marinade for meats and poultry. An infusion of the leaves can be used as a hair rinse and as a mouth wash, sip it warm to improve digestion. Rosemary is highly prized by people around the world for its medicinal, culinary, decorative and cosmetic uses. It has bee long used as an antiseptic and astringent and used in cosmetics for its beneficial effect on skin and hair. The Herb is a symbol of loyalty and ceremony, hence the phrase "rosemary for remembrance." Rosemary grows on single stems and its leaves resemble pine needles. The plants looks like a miniature pine tree and is often pruned and sold as a small Christmas tree. It is also used extensively in topiary. Rosemary is a favored bonsai plant. The herb is extremely fragrant and that aroma will cling to your clothing and hands for a very long time. The leaves release a sticky resin when handled that is difficult to remove, much like pine pitch. Its flavor is strong and quite unlike that of any other herb. When chopped and added fresh to food, use it sparingly. Rosemary is a slow grower and takes considerable time to achieve a size. Rosemary has long been a popular culinary herb in Europe. It is most extensively with lamb in Italy and Greece. It is gaining fans here for everything from bread to stir fry. It has an affinity for poultry and tomatoes and it wonderful with garlic. Rosemary can be used in many ways. Strip the leaves from the stems and chop or leave the whole before adding to food. Sprigs can be used whole to add flavor in poetry and meat dishes. The long woody stems bare or with leaves can be used for skewers on which to broil or grill foods. Place the thicker stems on top of hot coals before grilling to impart a wonderful flavor to your feast. ] If stored property, rosemary holds it quality for along time after cutting. Its hold better than any other herb on a hot plate. There are many varieties of rosemary. They are generally grouped into two classes based on growth patterns; upright and sprawling (prostrate). Prostrate rosemary (Rosmarinus officalis prostratus) is good for hanging baskets, but its flavor and color are not as intense as other types. For those who want to grow this herb outdoors in areas that have only light frosts, (R. officalis ‘Arp" may be the best variety as it can withstand more frost than any other types. In a climate that freezes during the winter, bring into the house. Rosemary refers a dry alkaline (slightly higher pH) soil. Fertilize once a month and every two weeks during periods of rapid growth in spring. As the plants mature and after many cuttings, the plant becomes woody, bushy and overcrowded. Prune and cut back the plants periodically. If too much of the woody stems are cut, the plant will not recover and die. Never cut back more than half the plant at a time. Always leave green leaves on the stems that you are cutting unless you do not want that stem to grown back. The rosemary plants will bloom in spring with delicate blue or lavender flowers. The flowers seem to ooze the same resin that is in the leaves. They are very attractive to aphids, spider mites and other insects. Soon you may find sticky honeydew (the excrement from insects) around the flowers and on the stems below the flowers. The honeydew provides an excellent place for black sooty mold fungus to grow. Once the mold has attached itself to the leaves, it is nearly impossible to wash off. Rosemary appeals to that pest that like strong flavors. Leafhoppers, spider mites and sometimes whitefly can be found on the herb. Black or green aphids occasionally are attracted to the young, new growth tips. All of theses insects must be controlled, specially the ones that worst cosmetic damage, leafhoppers and spider mites. If the foliage is marred by white marks, it is useless as a garnish.

Watch the flowering rosemary closely. If you see any signs of insects or honeydew, cut the flowering stems off immediately and burn them. The plant may continue its mission to flower and must be monitored. The first thing to know about cutting rosemary is that your hands and scissors will become coated with sticky resin in a very short time. Wear rubber globes when working this herb. The resin is very hard to remove from skin. Apply baby oil or Skin so Soft by Avon and apply to hands, rub hands together, add some liquid soap and your hands will come clean.