Rosemary

Parts Usually Used

Leaves and flowers

Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Rosemary is an evergreen shrub with numerous branches; ash-colored. scaly bark and bears opposite, leathery, thick leaves which are lustrous and dark green above and downy white underneath. They have a prominent vein in the middle and margins which are rolled down. The pale blue, sometimes white, relatively small, flowers grow in short axillary racemes, arranged in false whorls on the upper parts of the branches, blooming during April and May, or later in cooler climates.

Zone 5. Because it is not winter-hardy, it seldom succeeds in finding a home in the gardens north of Florida and southern California, but it is frequently grown in flower pots. Rosemary needs an alkaline soil in a sunny, well-drained spot. To harvest, cut 4-inch sections from the tip of the plant. Varieties of rosemary: Prostratus, Collingwood Ingram, Tuscan blue, Arp, Hardy Hill.

Where Found

Originated in the Mediterranean are and is now widely cultivated for its aromatic leaves and as a kitchen seasoning.

Medicinal Properties

Stimulant, antiviral, diaphoretic, carminative, nervine, aromatic, cephalic antispasmodic.

Legends, Myths and Stories

In the sixth century Charlemagne decreed that rosemary should be grown in all the imperial gardens, and it was beloved by the Romans long before that. Romans made crowns and garlands of Rosemary. ” In Queen Elizabeth’s time, this herb was considered an emblem of fidelity to lovers and was worn at weddings, funerals, and to give to friends. They were used in sick rooms to “correct the air” when infections were present.

The dried leaves were shredded and used in a pipe like tobacco to help a cough. Used in herbal or tobacco mixtures in England, where smoking was first introduced by Sir Walter Raleigh. The ashes of burnt Rosemary was rubbed on loose teeth to fasten and beautify. Rosemary’s name is derived from its Latin name Rosmarinus, meaning “dew of the sea” and referring to its blue flowers or to the fact that this herb thrives by the seashore, especially in Spain where its thick growth covers the cliffs.

To explain the range in the color of rosemary’s flowers from a pale bluish-white to a deep blue, Christian legend claims that flowers were originally white but were turned varying shade of blue when Mary hung her blue cloak over a rosemary bush. Since the rosemary plant seldom grows higher than a man’s height, it was believed that rosemary grew to the height of Christ in 33 years, and after that it grew thicker but not higher.

13th century manuscript: If the leaves be put beneath your pillow, you will be well protected from troublesome dreams and all mental anxiety. Used as a lotion, this herb or its oil will cure all pains in the head, and a spoonful of the herb mixed with honey and melted butter cannot but help your coughing. Rosemary was taken by the Roman Empire to China during the reign of Wenti of the Wei dynasty (452 AD).

Valued for its fragrance, it was used in perfume, and when burned it was supposed to drive away demons and mosquitoes. Through the ages, many legends have been woven about many plants, but probably none as fanciful as those of rosemary. ”

Uses

Historically, herbalists utilized rosemary as a tonic for the scalp, skin, heart, and liver, as well as an ingredient in commercial hair preparations. Traditional practitioners recommended it for addressing high blood pressure, poor circulation, digestive disorders, colic, gas, diminished appetite, jaundice, menstrual pain, and nervous conditions. The plant was also employed in folk medicine for colds, coughs, headaches, migraines, dizziness, bad breath, gum issues, sore throats, and to support eyesight and memory.

For internal complaints, preparations were traditionally administered warm. Externally, herbalists applied rosemary leaf decoctions prepared in wine or salves containing the essential oil to bruises, sores, wounds, scars, age spots, eczema, and rheumatic discomfort. Infusions of the leaves, sometimes combined with borax, were historically used as scalp washes to address dandruff and prevent baldness.

In addition to its role as a culinary flavoring and a fragrance for ointments and liniments, the herb was traditionally prepared as a tisane intended to counteract mental fatigue and support intellectual alertness.

How Sold

Sold commercially as a spice.

Bibliography

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