Hort-110

Assignment #1

Rosmarinus officinalis:
● Tuscan “Blue” Rosemary

Plant Form:
Rosemary is an upright shrub that can grow up to 6’ tall and 2’ to 4’ wide. It has green
needle-like foliage and clear blue flowers that bloom from Spring through Summer.

Plant Life Cycle:

Rosemary is a perennial that will last for twenty years or more with only minimal pruning
but will benefit from frequent pruning for it cooking value as a herb.

Nativity:
Rosemary is a valuable Old World aromatic shrub from Europe through Asia. It is native
to the Mediterranean region and most specifically in South France.

Uses:
Rosemary is used as a decorative plant in gardens and has many culinary and medical
uses. The leaves are used to flavor various foods, such as stuffings and roast meats.The
leaves, both fresh and dried, are used in traditional Italian cuisine. They have a bitter, astringent
taste and are highly aromatic, which complements a wide variety of foods.
Rosemary oil is used for purposes of fragrant bodily perfumes or to emit an aroma into a room.
It is also burnt as incense, and used in shampoos and cleaning products.

Areas in California where it can be grown:

● Sunset Climate Zones: 4-24,26-32
Rosemary has also been found growing in lower temperatures as low at -23 degrees F.

Best Method of propagation:

It is best to start Rosemary from seed, indoors and then transplant them outside. Follow
a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root
system. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring. If you want to
maintain the size of your rosemary plant, root prune it by slicing off a couple of inches of the
roots from the bottom and sides of the root ball and replanting in the same pot. Be sure to trim
some of the top at the same time, to lessen the workload of the roots and the stress placed
upon the trimmed plant. Then allow your repotted plant some time to regroup. It should reward
you with many more seasons of snippings.
● Pruning time: spring after flowering.
Best Time to Propagate:
Mid to late June is normally the best time to propagate by taking cuttings from an
existing Rosemary plant when a new shoots begin to emerge.

Cultural Requirements:
Rosemary will adapt to most growing conditions and is quite hardy. It's happy with snow,
limestone, high temperatures, by the seaside, and all sorts of soils. It will grow its best however,
in a warm to hot, fairly dry climate.
● Decide whether you want to keep growing it in pots or as a shrub in the garden. It can
also be trained as a delightfully scented hedge. For cooler climates, containers may be
best so that you can move them inside if needed.
● If planting in the garden, choose soil that drains well. Rosemary can suffer from root rot
in waterlogged soil. It will be happy with the average garden watering. It likes to source
most of its water from rain.
● The more alkaline the soil, the more fragrant the Rosemary will be. (pH 7–7.8) is the
ideal acidity, you can always dig in some lime if the soil is too acid.

This plant always makes me smile when I see it. I was happy to see it growing in our
nursery. At my girlfriend’s house her mom has a giant rosemary bush that she loves. The plant
is conveniently located next to the steps leading up to the front door. Every time we are headed
inside from the driveway this bush always grazes my coat or arm and the pungent aroma of that
Rosemary bush would rub off onto me and would last for the rest of the day. We always joke
and say that I smell like her mom’s bush.

The plants I would like to see most in the nursery are bonsai plants.