Directory of Herbs R osemary Rosmarinus officinalis Labiatae family Language and mythology This aromatic plant originated in the Mediterranean area. The upright variety was valued historically for its beneficial properties and is still highly regarded today. Description This ash-colored evergreen shrub has a pungent, pinelike fragrance. It has scaly bark and opposite, narrow, leathery leaves, which are thick and dark green on the top and downy white underneath.
Prominent veins run down the middle of the leaves and the margins roll down.
The fruit is a very small, spherical nutlet. Pests and disease Aphids, root rot, spider mites, scale, mealybugs, whiteflies, and botrytis. A low germination rate makes it difficult to propagate plants from seeds. Sow in flats and plant in the garden 2 feet apart after the seedlings are 3 inches tall. Take 6-inch sections of tip growth in late spring and place in a growth medium.