FLAVOUR AND FRAGRANCE JOURNAL, VOL.

1, 137-142 (1986)

The Essential Oils of Some Rosemary Cultivars

Arthur 0. Tucker and Michael J. Maciarello
Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State College, Dover, Delaware 19901, U.S.A.

Twenty-three named cultivars of Rosmarinus officinalis L. were examined. These cultivars, derived from five
botanical varieties, show wide ranges in the leading components: 0.06-57.45% a-pinene, 3.55-42.69%
1,b-cineole, 0.20-56.45% camphor, 0.66-21.03% bornyl acetate, and 0.40-14.69% borneol. They may be
grouped into six chemical groups: (1) a-pinene > l,&cineole, (2) 1,b-cineole > a-pinene, (3) a-pinene > camphor
+ camphene > l,&cineole, (4) camphor + camphene > a-pinene >' l,&cineole, (5) camphor + camphene >
1,b-cineole > a-pinene, and (6) borneol + bornyl acetate > camphor.
KEY WORDS Essential oil Rosmarinus officinalis L. Rosemary cultivars a-Pinene 1,&Cineole
Camphor Bornyl acetate Borneo1

INTRODUCTION harvested at 8:OO a.m., E.S.T. from September 25

The genus Rosmarinus includes two species:
R. oficinalis L. and R . eriocalix Jord & Fourr.'
The former species is common in the Mediter-
ranean region and is usually upright but some-
times procumbent. The latter species is limited to
southern Spain and North Africa and is usually
precumbent but sometimes upright. The wide
geographical range of R. officinalis is reflected in
the number of subspecific taxa: var. officinalis
(including f: albiflorus BCguinot and f: erectus
BCguinot), var. angustifolius Sweet, var. latifolius
Sweet, var. lavandulaceus (De NoC) Munby, var.
laxiflorus (De NoC) Munby, var. pubescens Pamp.
(including f. roseus Pamp.), and var. rigidus
Cariot & St. Lag.2 Many of these botanical
varieties and forms have been cultivated, and
named cultivars have been distributed in the
horticultural trade.
With the goals outlined in our previous paper
on lavender and l a ~ a n d i n ,we
~ have begun to
examine the essential oils of 23 named cultivars of
rosemary available in the United States, Great
Britain, and Canada. The variation of wild and
cultivated rosemary is partially documented by
previous
EXPERIMENTAL
Plants were grown for five months on a Sassafras
sandy loam in Camden, Delaware. Approxi-
mately 50 g of terminal 15 cm growth were
to October 31,1985. Within two hours the foliage
and stems were steam-distilled in a Neo-
Clevenger of Moritz after Kaiser and Lang9 with
the modification of Hefendehl." Oils were dried
over sodium sulphate, capped with nitrogen, and
stored at 3°C until analysed within 1-10 days.
Oils were chromatographed on a 50 m fused
silica WCOT column of 0.25 mm ID coated with
Carbowax 20M. A Perkin-Elmer Sigma 1 gas
chromatograph with flame ionization detector
was used. The injector and detector temperatures
were 230°C. The initial column temperature was
65°C for one minute with a rise of 3.O0C/minute
to 180°C; this upper limit was held for 35
minutes. The carrier gas, N2, had a flow rate of
0.5 cc/minute. Percentages were calculated by
area normalization.
Identifications were by relative retention,
enrichment, and IR. To capture volatiles for IR
identification, a 1O:l splitter was installed on the
exit port and the oils were chromatographed on a
1.83 m x 0.63 cm OD glass column packed with
15.0% Carbowax 20M on 60/80 mesh NAW
Chromosorb W. Peaks were collected on a
Beckman-RIIC extrocell GC-1 cooled in dry ice.
Infrared spectra were recorded on a Perkin-
Elmer Model 197 infrared spectrophotometer.
Herbarium vouchers of the plants were
deposited in the Claude E. Phillips Herbarium
(DOV), Delaware State College.
Cultivars selected from unnamed formae of
R. officinalis var. officinalis include 'Arp',
'Collingwood Ingram', 'Dutch Mill', 'Gorizia',

0882-5734/86/040137-06305.00 Received 1 June 1986

0 1986 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Accepted 1 September I986
138 A. 0.TUCKER AND M.J. MACJARELLO

‘Herb Cottage,’ ‘Joyce De Baggio’, ‘Light Logee ‘Taylor’s Blue’. ‘Alida Hyde’ (DOV12225) and
Blue,’ ‘Roman Vivace’, ‘Severn Sea’, ‘Very Oily’, ‘Holly Hyde’ (DOV12793) have been distributed
and ‘Well Sweep Golden’. ‘Arp’ (DOV 12797) by Mr Cyrus Hyde as ‘Prostrate #4‘ and ‘Yellow
was selected in 1972 from a plant growing in Arp, Green Leaf’, respectively. ‘Lockwood de Forest’
Texas, by Mrs Madalene Hill and is reasonably (DOV12233) originated in the mid-1930s in the
hardy to USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7. garden of Mrs Lockwood de Forest, Santa
‘Collingwood Ingram’ (DOV12226) was selected Barbara, California, probably as a selfed selection
by Mr Collingwood Ingram and is probably from ‘Prostratus’. ‘Prostratus’ (DOV12235) is
synonymous with ‘Majorca’. ‘Dutch Mill’ offered in the United States under a variety of
(DOV12794) was selected by Mrs Barbara names (such as ‘Huntington Carpet’ and ‘Santa
Remington of Forest Grove, Oregon. ‘Gorizia’ Barbara’) and confused with ‘Lockwood de
(DOV12231) originated in Italy and was Forest’. ‘Taylor’s Blue’ (DOV12243) has been
introduced by Mr Thomas De Baggio, Arlington, distributed by Taylor’s Herb Gardens, Vista,
Virginia. ‘Herb Cottage’ (DOV12792) was California, as ‘False Tuscan Blue’.
originally distributed by the Cathedral Herb ‘Majorca Pink’ (DOV12769) is a selection of
Garden, Washington, DC and acquired the name R. oficinalis var. pubescens f. roseus. The origin
‘Forester? in the trade. ‘Joyce De Baggio is unknown.
(DOV12798) is a chimerally variegated cultivar ‘Tuscan Blue’ (DOV12769) is a selection of
and was selected by Mr Thomas De Baggio. R. officinalis var. rigidus. ‘Tuscan Blue’ was
‘Light Logee Blue’ (DOV12795) was originally introduced prior to 1948 from Tuscany, Italy, by
purchased at Country Greenhouses, Danielson, Mr W. Arnold-Forster.
Connecticut. The origin of ‘Roman Vivace’
(DOV12238) is unknown. ‘Severn Sea
(DOV12240) was raised by Mr Norman Hadden RESULTS
at West Porlock, Somerset, England. ‘Very Oily’
(DOV12241) was a selection of Mr John The essential oils of the 23 cultivars are presented
MacGregor at the Huntington Botanical in Tables 1 to 4.
Gardens, San Marino, California. ‘Well Sweep
Golden’ has new leaves which are golden- DISCUSSION
coloure’d and was selected by Mr Cyrus Hyde,
Port Murray, New Jersey. Thirty-three constituents were identified in each
Cultivars selected from R. oficinalis var. of oil of the 24 cultivars of rosemary. Their
oficinalis f. albiflora include ‘Logee White’ and percentage composition in each of the cultivars
‘Nancy Howard’. ‘Logee White (DOV12768) was varied as follows: a-thujene (0.01-0.07%),
acquired as ‘Alba’ from Logee’s Greenhouses, a-pinene (0.06-57.45%)’ camphene
Danielson, Connecticut. ‘Nancy Howard’ (0.07-1 3.5 1%), B-pinene (0.30-7.60%)’
(DOV12764) has been distributed by Mr Cyrus sabinene (0-0.17%)’ A3-carene (0-0.37%)’
Hyde as ‘Alba Heavy Leaf’. myrcene (0.14-11.53%)’ a-phellandrene
Cultivars selected from R. oficinalis var. (CO.01-2.87%)’ a-terpinene (0-0.43%)’
officinalis f. erectus include ‘Blue Spire’ and ‘Miss limonene (0.16-3.27%)’ 1,&cineole
Jessopp’s Upright’. The origin of ‘Blue Spire’ (3.55-42.69%)’ cis-8-ocimene (0-0.77%)’
(DOVl2806) is unknown. ‘Miss Jessopp’s trans-/I-ocimene + 8-terpinene (0.21-4.82%),
Upright’ (DOV12763) was introduced by Mr p-cymene (0.03-0.67%), terpinolene
E. A. Bowles of England and named after Miss (0.15-1.11%), 8-thujone + l-octen-3-01
Euphemia Jessopp. (0.01-0.27%)’ camphor (0.20-56.45%)’ linalol
A cultivar selected from R. oficinalis var. (0.28-3.83%)’ linalyl acetate (0.01-0.69%)’
angustifolius is ‘Benenden Blue’. ‘Benenden bornyl acetate (0.66-21.0396)’ isobornyl acetate
Blue’ (DOV12760) was selected by Mr Colling- (0-1.01 %), terpinen-4-01 (0.17-1.07%),
wood Ingram from near Bonifacio, Corsica, and /?-caryophyllene (0-5.30%)’ isoborneol
named after his estate in England. (0-0.72%) , a-humulene (0-1.09%)’ a-terpineol
Cultivars selected from R. oficinalis var. (0.03-2.55%)’ borneol (0.40-14.69%)’ nerol
lavandulaceus include ‘Alida Hyde’, ‘Holly (0-3.60%)’ geraniol (0-9.2496)’ methyleugenol
Hyde’, ‘Lockwood de Forest’, ‘Prostratus’, and (<0.O 1-0.79%)’ and eugenol (<0.0 1-0.1 7%).
 Table 1. Essential oils of cultivars derived from unnamed formae of R. officinalis var. oficinalis

‘Collingwood ‘Dutch ‘Herb ‘Joyce De ‘Light ‘Roman ‘Severn ‘Very ‘Well Sweep
Constituent ‘Arp’ % Ingram’ % Mill’ % ‘Gorizia % Cottage’ 96 Baggio % Logee Blue’ % Vivace’ % Sea’ % Oily’ % Golden’ %

a-thujene 0.02 0.03 0.02 - 0.02 CO.01 0.02 0.05 0.03 0.02 0.02
a-pinene 10.42 31.51 31.81 0.06 53.37 2.79 57.45 21.31 26.39 38.83 45.73
camphene 6.21 5.75 6.66 0.07 3.85 0.29 3.70 13.51 6.16 5.95 8.02
8-pjnene 5.28 1.58 5.83 0.30 2.51 0.35 2.00 5.74 5.87 3.70 6.48
sabinene 0.07 0.16 0.06 0.01 0.17 0.02 0.02 0.05 0.02 0.04 0.06
A3-carene co.01 0.02 0.07 0.06 0.06 - - 0.05 co.01 0.01 0.10
myrcene 0.37 0.59 4.29 0.14 1.32 0.32 0.69 0.43 3.71 2.32 11.53
u-phellandrene 0.95 0.07 0.06 0.31 0.10 0.03 0.03 1.60 0.02 <0.01 0.02
a-terpinene 0.10 0.13 0.21 0.07 0.14 0.08 0.09 0.18 0.09 0.10 0.14
limonene 0.16 1.84 0.20 0.94 1.97 0.93 1.08 1.96 0.82 0.30 1.39
1,8-cineole 41.69 10.33 29.85 5.38 21.07 6.42 19.40 13.36 35.76 30.62 11.05
cis- 8-ocimene 0.1 1 0.05 0.14 0.01 0.11 - 0.03 0.33 0.29 0.01 0.10
trans-8-ocimene +
6-terpinene 0.65 0.59 0.92 0.67 0.60 0.56 0.58 0.29 0.65 4.82 0.59
p-cymene 0.1 1 0.17 0.11 0.18 0.13 0.09 0.11 0.29 0.14 0.25 0.03
terpinolene 0.16 0.43 0.20 0.41 0.3 1 0.50 0.3 1 0.43 0.15 0.23 0.30
8-thujone +
1-octen-3-01 0.03 0.03 0.11 0.09 0.02 0.05 0.01 0.04 0.04 0.08 0.02
camphor 19.08 10.45 8.51 19.25 1.05 18.89 0.77 26.61 8.33 1.56 6.79
linalol 1.23 1.31 0.56 0.82 1.08 3.83 1.07 0.30 0.45 0.30 0.28
linalyl acetate 0.08 0.17 0.08 0.18 0.06 0.69 0.02 0.10 0.24 0.14 0.01
bornyl acetate 3.62 10.79 1.48 2 1.03 0.99 7.57 1.18 2.09 0.97 1.64 3.43
isobornyl acetate 0.05 0.05 0.08 0.33 - 0.42 - 0.1 1 0.10 0.10 0.01
terpinen-4-01 0.33 0.48 0.30 0.77 0.29 1.07 0.32 0.23 0.37 0.27 0.17
8-caryophyllene 0.34 0.39 1.35 5.30 0.34 3.38 0.35 0.75 1.71 0.91 0.30
isoborneol 0.18 0.52 0.15 0.23 0.10 0.72 - 0.15 0.25 0.13 0.03
u-humulene 0.77 0.09 0.50 1.09 0.10 0.88 - 0.13 0.40 0.17 0.04
a-terpineol 0.88 0.86 0.69 1.38 0.03 2.55 0.57 0.50 0.81 0.69 0.42
bomeol 3.33 3.25 1.27 14.69 2.80 5.36 1.57 1.60 1.22 1.20 0.62
nerol - - - 0.55 - 1.31 0.18 - - - -
geraniol 0.01 0.16 0.14 0.52 1.67 9.24 1.86 - - 0.15 0.01
methyl eugenol <0.01 0.47 CO.01 0.28 0.06 0.79 0.07 - - 0.01 0.01
eugehol 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.17 0.01 0.05 0.01 <0.01 0.01 0.01 <0.01
 L
P
0

Table 2. Essential oils of cultivars derived from R. officinulis var. officinalis f. Table 3. Essential oils of cultivars derived from R. officinalis
albijlorus and f. erectus var. angusrifolius, var. pubescens f. rosea, and var. rigidus
‘Logee ‘Nancy ‘Blue ‘Miss Jessopp’s ‘Benenden ‘Majorca ‘Tuscan
Constituent White’ % Howard’ % Spire’ % Upright’ % Constituent Blue’ % Pink’ 9h Blue’ %

a-thujene 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.03 a-t hu jene 0.02 0.02 0.04
a-pinene 52.08 46.41 44.26 52.45 a-pinene 5 1.08 8.62 44.92
camphene 3.80 8.29 1.70 8.37 camphene 6.17 3.43 6.50
8-pinene 2.09 3.59 2.82 2.75 8-pinene 1.62 1.53 5.16
sahinene - 0.06 0.02 0.10 sabinene 0.05 0.02 0.02
A3-carene - 0.12 co.01 - A3-carene 0.10 0.01 0.01 ?
myrcene 0.93 0.58 3.78 3.27 myrcene 0.71 0.33 0.60 P
a-phellandrene 0.07 1.25 0.04 0.02 a-phellandrene 0.14 0.04 0.03
a-terpinene 0.17 0.19 0.10 0.13 a-terpinene 0.24 0.10 -
limonene 1.61 3.27 0.16 1.31 limonene 1.70 2.30 1.43
1.8-cineole 19.07 22.78 30.28 14.41 1,8-cineole 8.62 3.55 14.85
cis-8-ocimene 0.01 0.05 0.77 co.01 cis-8-ocimene 0.1 1 0.01 0.49
trans-8-ocimene + trans-8-ocimene +
*z
6-terpinene 0.63 0.48 0.76 0.52 6-terpinene 1.49 0.95 0.21 D
p-cymene 0.22 0.1 1 0.10 0.08 p-cymene 0.36 0.15 0.08 s
terpinolene 0.43 0.25 0.16 0.29 terpinolene 0.41 0.84 0.15 L
8-thujone + 8-thujone +
1-octen-3-01 0.03 0.14 0.06 0.02 I-octen-3-01 0.02 0.01 0.27
camphor 0.99 3.71 3.49 6.33 camphor 0.52 56.45 0.20
linalol 1.25 0.30 1.16 0.36 linalol 1.30 0.60 1.66
linalyl acetate 0.01 0.07 0.1 1 0.19 linalyl acetate 0.05 0.05 0.05
bornyl acetate 1.02 0.87 0.66 0.97 bornyl acetate 5.83 1.02 4.71
isobornyl acetate 1.01 0.05 - 0.11 isobornyl acetate 0.03 0.08 0.13 i;
terpinen-4-01 0.30 0.30 0.40 0.49 terpinen-4-01 0.46 0.39 0.46
p-car yophyllene 0.44 0.20 0.46 0.31 8-caryophyllene 0.08 - 0.55
isoborneol 0.06 0.10 0.20 0.15 isoborneol - 0.33 0.24
a-humulene 0.09 0.22 - 0.23 a-humulene - 0.05 0.23
a-terpineol 0.68 0.59 0.74 0.55 a-terpineol 0.64 0.82 0.51
borneol 1.80 1.12 0.77 1.34 borneol 2.00 2.15 7.99
nerol 0.08 0.04 - - nerol 0.09 3.60 -
geraniol 2.09 0.12 0.54 0.07 geraniol 0.73 0.59 0.49
methyl eugenol 0.34 co.01 0.07 0.01 methyl eugenol 0.06 0.13 0.10
eugenol 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 eugenol 0.01 0.01 0.01
 ESSENTIAL OIL OF ROSEMARY CULTIVARS 141

Table 4. Essential oils of cultivars derived from R. oficinalis var. lavandulaceus

‘Alida ‘Holly ‘Lockwood de ‘Taylor’s

Constituent Hyde’ % Hyde’ % Forest’ % Prostratus’ % Blue’ %

a-thujene 0.03 0.07 0.04 0.04 0.01

a-pinene 29.35 14.39 20.49 22.98 27.95
camphene 8.45 5.43 6.81 6.88 4.79
/?-pinene 5.48 5.26 7.60 6.02 5.10
sabinene 0.11 0.06 0.05 0.03 0.02
A3-carene 0.01 1.13 0.07 0.37 0.01
myrcene 1.79 2.46 4.06 3.94 2.91
a-phellandrene 2.87 2.87 1.00 0.99 0.02
a-terpinene 0.26 0.43 0.18 0.22 0.09
limonene 2.49 3.16 1.61 1.78 1.04
1&cineole 15.81 28.38 27.29 24.72 30.63
cis-/?-ocimene 0.11 0.14 0.25 0.12 0.01
trans-/?-ocimene+
6-terpinene 0.43 1.96 0.45 1.19 0.28
p-cymene 0.53 0.67 0.08 0.37 0.04
terpinolene 0.26 1.11 0.24 0.58 0.27
8-thujone +
l-octen-3-01 0.02 0.01 - 0.04 0.12
camphor 5.31 17.35 14.89 13.35 13.93
linalol 0.71 0.75 0.52 0.46 2.50
linalyl acetate 0.19 0.13 0.17 0.21 0.14
bornyl acetate 9.49 2.41 4.07 3.95 0.71
isobornyl acetate 0.04 0.06 0.06 0.17 0.09
terpinen-4-01 0.34 0.55 0.31 0.43 0.25
8-caryophyllene 0.82 1.47 0.63 0.79 1.20
isoborneol 0.1 1 0.13 0.15 0.32 0.17
a-humulene 0.15 0.09 0.13 0.15 0.21
a-terpineol 0.48 0.79 0.52 0.51 0.98
borneol 0.40 2.89 5.16 3.04 0.67
nerol - 0.23 - - 0.20
geraniol 0.15 - - 0.07 -
methyl eugenol 0.23 0.09 0.06 0.07 0.01
eugenol 0.01 0.01 <0.01 0.02 0.01

The 23 cultivars could be grouped into six
chemotypes based upon the composition of their
essential oils. Chemotype 1 is characterized by
a-pinene > l,&cineole and includes ‘Dutch Mill’,
‘Herb Cottage’, ‘Light Logee Blue’, ‘Very Oily’,
‘Well Sweep Golden’, ‘Logee White’, ‘Nancy
Howard’, ‘Blue Spire’, ‘Benenden Blue’, ‘Tuscan
Blue’, and ‘Alida Hyde’. Chemotype 2 is
characterized by 1,&cineole > a-pinene and
includes ‘Arp’, ‘Severn Sea’, ‘Holly Hyde’,
‘Lockwood de Forest’, ‘Prostratus’, and ‘Taylor’s
Blue’. Chemotype 3 is characterized by a-pinene
> camphor + camphene > l,&cineole and
includes ‘Collingwood Ingram’, ‘Roman Vivace’,
and ‘Miss Jessopp’s Upright’. Chemotype 4 is
characterized by camphor + camphene >
a-pinene > l&cineole and includes ‘Majorca
Pink’. Chemotype 5 is characterized by camphor
+ camphene > 1,8-cineole > a-pinene and
includes ‘Joyce De Baggio’. Chemotype 6 is
characterized by borneol + bornyl acetate >
camphor and includes ‘Gorizia’.
The oils of ‘Gorizia’, ‘Joyce De Baggio’, and
‘Majorca Pink’ are exceptional in that the con-
tents of both a-pinene and l,&cineole are
particularly low. However, whereas
83.29-97.70% of the oils of the other cultivars
was identified, only 75.29%’ 69.18%, and
88.18%, respectively, of the oils of ‘Gorizia’,
‘Joyce De Baggio’, and ‘Majorca Pink’ were
identified.
As can be readily observed in Tables 1-4, the
major constituents (a-pinene, camphene, 1,8-
cineole, camphor, bornyl acetate, and borneol)
vary widely in percentage composition. This is not
unexpected as it must be remembered that these
cultivars were selected for flower colour, foliage
colour, growth habit, and/or hardiness and only to
a lesser extent for aroma.
Boelens4 summarized the previous literature
142 A. 0. TUCKER AND M. J. MACIARELLO
and concluded that at least two types of rosemary
oils existed: one high in l,&cineole (from France,
Greece, Tunisia, and parts of Italy) and one low
in 1,8-cineole (from Spain, Yugoslavia, and other
parts of Italy). While the commercial rosemary
oils vary in their principal constituents, none of
the cultivars examined here approach the com-
mercial samples. However, the wide variation in
these oils indicates genetic variability in this genus
that may be utilized for the potential develop
ment of novel notes in commercial applications.
Acknowledgements-This research was
supported by a grant from the Cooperative State
Research Service (#801-15-01C). Special thanks
are extended to Mr Cyrus Hyde (Well-Sweep
Herb Farm, Port Murray, New Jersey) and Mr
Thomas De Baggio (Earthworks, Arlington,
Virginia) for their help in obtaining plants.
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