General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Water Preferences: Mesic
Dry Mesic
Dry
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 8a -12.2 °C (10 °F) to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
Plant Height: 2 - 6 feet
Plant Spread: 2 - 4 feet
Leaves: Evergreen
Fragrant
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Blue
Lavender
Pink
White
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Flower Time: Late spring or early summer
Summer
Suitable Locations: Xeriscapic
Uses: Provides winter interest
Erosion control
Culinary Herb
Medicinal Herb
Suitable as Annual
Edible Parts: Leaves
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Butterflies
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Rabbit Resistant
Drought tolerant
Propagation: Seeds: Start indoors
Other info: Can take Up to 3 months to germ. Place in light soil or sand, lightly cover, place in baggie, place on heat mat or other heat source. Keep damp.
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Tip
Layering
Pollinators: Bees
Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Needs excellent drainage in pots

Image
Common names
  • Rosemary
  • Salvia
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Salvia rosmarinus
  • Synonym: Rosmarinus lavandulaceus
  • Synonym: Rosmarinus officinalis subsp. palaui
  • Synonym: Rosmarinus officinalis
  • Synonym: Rosmarinus angustifolius
  • Synonym: Rosmarinus officinalis var. prostratus

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) was a featured
Plant of the Day for February 1, 2018.
Photo Gallery
Location: Las Vegas
Date: 2010-06-30
Mockingbird Chick in Rosemary
Location: CA
Date: 4/1/2020
Bloom of Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)
Location: Baja California
Date: 2020-01-16
Location: Hamilton Square Perennial Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2014-03-02
Enormous!
Location: CA
Date: 4/1/2020
Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) in bloom
Location: Garland, TX
Date: 2019-06-17
#pollination
Location: Sunriver Nursery, Orem, Utah
Date: 2011-12-08

Photo: Thor / Wikipedia
Location: Baja California
Date: 2021-03-02
Location: Baja California
Date: 2017-01-21
Location: Sandhills Horticultural Gardens Southern Pines, NC
Date: March 7, 2024
Rosemary #5 nn LHB p. 850,176-3-1, Greek for "sea dew" formerly R
Location: Jacksonville, Fl.
Date: 2015-02-16
Location: Baja California
Date: 2021-03-02

Date: 2017-08-04
Location: NE., Fl.
Date: 2013-09-23
Location: Fairfax, VA
Location: Canoga Park, California
Date: 2013-08-21
Location: Bea's garden
Date: 2022
Location: Bea's garden
Date: 2022
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Date: January 16, 2023
Overwintering in SE Michigan greenhouse
Location: Fairfax, VA
Location: Mason, New Hampshire
Date: 2016-07-10
Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2012-02-16
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-06
Location: Sardinia, Italy
Location: Heathcote Ontario Canada
Date: 1965    July
Wakefield gardens England  wonderful Topiary forms
Photo by kylaluaz
Location: my garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2007-03-26

Date: 2016-02-15
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) seeds germinating
Location: In my garden, Falls Church, VA
Date: 2017-12-09
6 year old plant
Location: test garden 
Date: 2015-03-23
Location: Bea's garden
Date: 2022

Date: 2018-08-06
{"colorSpace":"kCGColorSpaceDisplayP3","cameraType":"Wide","macro

Date: 2023-10-19
Location: Houston, TX
Date: Sep 29, 2011 11:46 AM
rosemary
Location: Cyprus
Date: 2019-11-10
Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2019-09-03
Well over 4 y.o. planted by previous homeowner.  Rarely blooms.

Courtesy Outsidepride
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Canoga Park, California
Date: 2014-01-21
Location: Parc Natural de la Muntanya de Montserrat (Spain)
Date: 2022-04-18
Location: Seville, Spain | April, 2023
Date: 2023-04-05
Location: Opp, AL
Date: 2015-02-14
Location: Sebastian,  Florida
Date: 2020-05-27
Location: Summerwinds Nursery Phoenix, Arizona
Date: 2016-02-10
Location: Temple, Texas
Date: July 2021
1st season specimen for cooking use.

Date: 2020-08-31
Location: AZ
Date: Spring
Heat lover!
Location: Telly's Greenhouse, Troy, MI
Date: 2010-03-21
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2010-08-30
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2010-08-30

Date: 2022-04-14
Location: Houston, TX
Date: Sep 29, 2011 11:46 AM

Date: 2020-04-28
Location: Work area
Date: 2014-0525
Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2012-02-16
Location: Work area
Date: 2014-0525
Location: Work area
Date: 2014-0525
Location: Work area
Date: 2014-0525
Location: Sunriver Nursery, Orem, Utah
Date: 2011-12-08
Rosemary Topiary
Location: Sunriver Nursery, Orem, Utah
Date: 2011-12-08
Location: Dallas, TX Zone 8a
Date: 2016-04-13
Size at time of photo was approx. 6 x 8.
Location: Louisa, VA
Date: 6-20-17
Rosemary smells so nice!
Location: All pictures taken in/on my gardens/greenhouse/property
Date: 2018-03-02
Location: Gulf-coast Texas
Date: 2014-12-07
Rosemary Blooming in Texas
Location: Michigan
Date: 6-10-2018
Entire plant just shortly after transplant

Courtesy Sustainable Seed Company
  • Uploaded by vic
Location: Parc Natural de la Muntanya de Montserrat (Spain)
Date: 2022-04-18

Date: 2013-05-05
Photo courtesy of: Colin-47
Location: Opp, AL
Date: 2015-02-14
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2013-09-25
Cuttings are now small bushes.
Location: Sebastian,  Florida
Date: 2020-05-27
Location: Sebastian,  Florida
Date: 2020-05-27

photo credit: Dinkum

Date: 2020-08-31
Location: AZ
Date: Spring
Loves the heat and it is great on a path where brushing it releas
Location: My Garden
Date: 2012-09-13
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2010-08-30
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2010-08-30

Date: 2012-12-28

Date: 2012-12-28
Location: Middle Tennessee
Date: 9/20/2011
a potted rosemary plant
Location: Winston-Salem , NC
Date: November 11, 2021
Rosemary #5 nn; LHB p. 850, 176-3-1, "Greek for 'sea dew'."  Syno
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2013-03-13
Rooted cuttings

Date: 2014-01-20

Courtesy Outsidepride
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Parc Natural de la Muntanya de Montserrat (Spain)
Date: 2022-04-18
Location: Opp, AL
Date: 2015-02-14

 Photo Courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Used with permissi
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Madrid, Spain | April, 2023
Date: 2023-04-08
This plant is tagged in:
Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image

Comments:
  • Posted by Catmint20906 (PNW WA half hour south of Olympia - Zone 8a) on Aug 1, 2014 9:34 PM concerning plant:
    Rosmarinus officinalis is a useful companion plant in the garden that reportedly helps to repel the Cabbage White butterfly, bean beetle, carrot fly, Mexican bean beetle, slugs, and snails.

  • Posted by sheryl (Hot, hot, hot, Feenix, AZ - Zone 9b) on Dec 8, 2011 9:41 PM concerning plant:
    Native to the Mediterranean. Loves sunshine and warmth, although some cold hardy strains (Arp, to zone 6) have been cultivated. Quite xeric.

    One of my favorite plants. If I brush up against it while gardening I can smell the scent for hours on my clothing. One of my favorite herbs to cook with -sprinkle rosemary, garlic and salt on a lightly oiled salmon fillet - heaven!
  • Posted by Mindy03 (Delta KY) on Mar 25, 2012 4:04 PM concerning plant:
    Valuable source of nectar and pollen for honey bees.
  • Posted by Baja_Costero (Baja California - Zone 11b) on Jan 16, 2020 9:35 PM concerning plant:
    Practical drought-tolerant shrub for arid Mediterranean (dry summer, winter rainfall) gardens. Leaves are great for cooking and flowers provide nice purple accents during winter (our rainy season), attracting bees. Easy to start from cuttings. This plant prefers good drainage and responds well to periodic pruning (or will grow into a mangy bush if you let it).
  • Posted by tabbycat (Youngsville, LA - Zone 9b) on Jun 19, 2018 2:53 PM concerning plant:
    It's mid June and my mature 5 year old plant is starting to produce small pale-blue flowers. It's about 12 inches tall and wide in the top of a 15-inch tall clay strawberry pot. I planted it there 4 years ago and it lives in a part-sun location. I water it with collected rain water every other day particularly for the other herbs in the pockets. All grow well, so drainage must be right. I use a lot of rosemary, so the branches get tipped regularly. About once a month I water the pot with Miracle-Gro added to the water.
  • Posted by Marylyn (Houston, TX - Zone 9a) on Jan 25, 2012 4:02 PM concerning plant:
    I have two rosemary bushes in my garden. They only get part sun so they don't bloom, but they grow happily all year long. I had another bush deeper in the shade and it wasn't happy at all.
Plant Events from our members
vbprog On November 1, 2014 Winterized
Trimming back and bringing in
Georgegrowstomatoes On April 5, 2020 Seeds sown
Potted into pots of 2 and 3 seeds to see if there was a difference in how successfully they germinated depending on more or fewer seeds.
dnrevel On May 14, 2023 Transplanted
Transplanted 5 rosemary cuttings grown in the greenhouse. The large rosemary plant overwintered in the greenhouse from last year is doing fine as well. Will transplant it in late May.
dnrevel On February 2, 2023 Cuttings stuck
Cuttings from rosemary in the greenhouse, still fresh and growing, even though the water froze. It's above zero in the greenhouse.
dnrevel On November 9, 2022 Potted up
Grew large from a small plant from spring. Did VERY well in the front garden 2022
dnrevel On May 30, 2022 Obtained plant
Planted this plant, as well as several types of lavender and other herbs from local nursery.
SuperHappyCamper On May 12, 2023 Obtained plant
Cuttings rooted from Kat.
SuperHappyCamper On May 12, 2023 Plant Ended (Removed, Died, Discarded, etc)
Did not survive winter.
SuperHappyCamper On August 10, 2022 Obtained plant
Purchased from Pike's (Clearance $3).
antsinmypants On May 25, 2022 Transplanted
Into larger container.
antsinmypants On March 3, 2022 Plant emerged
1 seedling emerged.
antsinmypants On February 24, 2022 Seeds sown
Indoors under lights on heat mat.

1 cup
WebTucker On March 12, 2022 Bloomed
tabbycat On May 1, 2022 Miscellaneous Event
In a hanging basket a year & doing well on porch where I put Hummingbird feeder & move it to crepe myrtle by gate.
tabbycat On February 26, 2021 Potted up
Put in a gal. pot on patio
tabbycat On January 29, 2021 Maintenance performed
Plant is 12"x 12" so I trimmed back to dry cuttings hoping plant rebounds thicker & larger.
tabbycat On May 19, 2020 Transplanted
Moved to a gal. pot
tabbycat On May 19, 2020 Obtained plant
Nice plant with several stems
Trish On February 5, 2015 Seeds germinated
germinated, moved to greenhouse.
Trish On January 10, 2015 Seeds sown
paper towel. Sowed all seeds. Primed seeds from Swallowtail.
thepurplebug On June 3, 2019 Seeds sown
Seeds planted in a container in front of the house.
LizDTM On September 25, 2017 Seeds sown
3AmigosGarden On September 1, 2017 Seeds sown
3AmigosGarden On August 30, 2017 Obtained plant
Pima County Seed Library
joannmorford On May 11, 2017 Obtained plant
lovesblooms On March 1, 2020 Seeds sown
winter sow
lovesblooms On February 9, 2017 Seeds sown
w/s
dragonfetti On April 5, 2015 Seeds germinated
dragonfetti On March 26, 2015 Seeds sown
CL container
dragonfetti On March 22, 2015 Obtained plant
Ferry-Morse $1.59
Retro67 On January 30, 2024 Potted up
As of this date, I have 2 salvia growing in containers. I will up pot them in spring and put them out for summer, bringing them in for winter. Life time potted plants. Save seeds for starting new plants.
» Post your own event for this plant

« Add a new plant to the database

» Search the Salvias Database: by characteristics or by cultivar name

« See the general plant entry for Salvias (Salvia)

« Visit the Agastache and Salvias forum

« The Salvias Database Front Page

« The Plants Database Front Page

Today's site banner is by Zoia and is called "Volunteer"

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.