Rosemary

Sun

Full sun; ideally at least 6 hours of direct sun daily.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, allowing the soil surface to dry between waterings. Established plants in the ground need little extra water except during prolonged drought; containers need more frequent checks.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gravelly or loamy soil, from slightly acidic to alkaline. Avoid waterlogged soil, especially in winter; use a raised bed or container where drainage is poor.

Height

3-6 ft (0.9-1.8 m); trailing forms stay much lower

Spread

3-6 ft (0.9-1.8 m), depending on form and growing conditions

Flowers

Usually spring to early summer, with scattered flowers possible in autumn or winter in mild climates. Flowers are typically pale blue, sometimes white, pink or violet depending on the selection.

Foliage

Evergreen. Narrow, leathery, aromatic leaves with dark green upper surfaces and pale, felted undersides.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

• Water new plants deeply, then let the upper soil dry before watering again.
• Feed sparingly; container plants may need a light application of balanced fertiliser in spring.
• Use gravel mulch if needed, keeping it clear of the stem base.
• Choose a pot with drainage holes and a free-draining potting mix; never leave it standing in water.
• In colder regions, overwinter potted plants somewhere bright, cool and frost-free, watering sparingly.

Pruning. Lightly trim after the main flowering flush to keep plants bushy, cutting only into leafy growth. Avoid hard cuts into bare old wood, which often fails to reshoot, and avoid heavy pruning just before winter.

Spring

Plant once severe frosts have passed, choosing full sun and sharply drained soil.

Spring

Check for winter damage and trim dead tips once new growth shows which stems are alive.

Late spring

Lightly shape plants after flowering, leaving green leaves below every cut.

Summer

Harvest leafy shoot tips and check containers regularly for dry compost.

Late summer

Take semi-ripe cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Autumn

Move containers under bright, frost-free shelter where winters are too cold for outdoor survival.

Winter

Keep sheltered plants cool and bright, water sparingly and check that outdoor pots drain freely.

• Plant beside a sunny path or terrace where brushing the foliage releases its scent.
• Use upright forms as low informal hedges or clipped edging around an herb garden.
• Combine with lavender, sage and rockrose in gravel beds for evergreen structure and contrasting leaf textures.
• Let trailing forms spill over sunny retaining walls or large container edges.
• Place a container near the kitchen for easy harvesting where garden soil is too heavy or winters are too cold.

Garden styles it suits: Mediterranean, Dry gravel garden, Herb parterre, Edible landscape, Sensory garden and Coastal.

Plant it with: Lavender, Common sage, Thyme, Rockrose, Santolina and Yarrow.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar and pollen for honeybees, bumblebees and other visiting insects, sometimes during mild winter weather when few other plants are flowering.

• Root rot and dieback in wet soil: improve drainage, reduce watering and replace badly affected plants in a raised bed or free-draining container.
• Winter browning or death: protect from cold, drying winds and move pots under bright, frost-free shelter in cold regions.
• Rosemary beetle, particularly in the UK and parts of Europe: inspect for metallic green-and-purple adults and grey larvae, then pick them off by hand.
• Powdery mildew, especially indoors: improve light and airflow, avoid crowding and remove badly affected shoots.

Rosemary foliage and flowers are not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people in normal garden exposure. The leaves are a culinary herb, though eating large amounts may cause stomach upset. Concentrated rosemary essential oil is not equivalent to the plant and can be harmful if swallowed, especially by pets.

• Coastal rosemary (Westringia fruticosa)

  Leaves usually grow in whorls of three rather than opposite pairs, and lack rosemary's strong culinary scent. It is an ornamental Australian shrub, not a substitute cooking herb.

• Bog rosemary (Andromeda polifolia)

  Has pink or white urn-shaped flowers and grows in moist, acidic conditions. Its leaves lack rosemary's scent, and the plant is poisonous if eaten.

• English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

  Usually has greyer foliage and flowers in distinct spikes held above the leaves, rather than small flowers clustered along leafy rosemary stems.

Rosemary comes from the Latin ros marinus, meaning 'dew of the sea', a name reflected in the species epithet rosmarinus.

Propagation. Take softwood cuttings in late spring or semi-ripe cuttings in summer, rooting them in a free-draining medium. Low stems can also be layered. Seed is slow and variable, so use cuttings to preserve a named selection.

Accepted botanical name

Salvia rosmarinus

Native range

Albania, Algeria, Baleares, Corse, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Libya and Morocco.

Measured

Soil pH 5 to 7.5. Average height 74 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.