The flowers of both species are blue, though white-flowering varieties exist. A Christian legend has it that during the flight to Egypt, Mary threw her cloak over a rosemary bush when she stopped to rest, and the flowers which had previously always been white, turned to blue. Rosemary requires a sunny, well-drained spot and thrives in sandy, poor soil. Once established, the shrub is very durable and long-lived. It is often used to create a dense aromatic hedge.
Cuttings strike easily.
Rosemary has a very pungent flavour and it should be used with discretion. It is a traditional flavouring for lamb dishes, but is used with most other meats and fish as well. It is an important component in most combinations of mixed herbs and is invaluable in the stuffing for the Christmas turkey. Rosemary is also used as a tea and an infusion of the leaves has always been popular as a hair rinse. Old diggers talked of rosemary growing wild on the Gallipoli battlefield and how the perfume of its crushed leaves evoked powerful memories.