I walk in the Addison Community Garden and more than one of the plots has a large rosemary bush. I love the smell and taste of rosemary and had a large rosemary bush myself until it was quite overgrown. When I removed it and tried to replant portions of it, they all died. I have never been known for my green thumb. But I do have a friend with a plot in the community garden who has let me pick from her rosemary before. I often use it in roasted small potatoes with garlic. Once I used long stems of rosemary as skewers for vegetables on the grill. Rosemary can really enhance the flavor of chicken and vegetables. I do like cooking with various herbs, especially rosemary. Plus I really enjoy Simon & Garfunkel’s rendition of “Scarborough Fair” with the line “Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.” And I have seen Rosemary Clooney perform at the Hollywood Bowl. Let’s explore what rosemary has to offer.
According to Wikipedia, Salvia rosmarinus — commonly known as rosemary — is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. Until 2017, it was known by the scientific name Rosmarinus officinalis, now a synonym.
It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which includes many other herbs. The name "rosemary" derives from Latin ros marinus or "dew of the sea." The plant is also sometimes called anthos, from the ancient Greek word ἄνθος, meaning "flower." Rosemary has a fibrous root system.
Description
Rosemary is an aromatic evergreen shrub with leaves similar to hemlock needles. It is native to the Mediterranean and Asia but is reasonably hardy in cool climates. It can withstand droughts, surviving a severe lack of water for lengthy periods. In some parts of the world, it is considered a potentially invasive species. The seeds are often difficult to start, with a low germination rate and relatively slow growth, but the plant can live as long as 30 years.
Forms range from upright to trailing; the upright forms can reach 5 feet tall, rarely 6 feet 7 inches. The leaves are evergreen, 0.8–1.6 inches long and 2–5 mm broad, green above, and white below, with dense, short, woolly hair.
The plant flowers in spring and summer in temperate climates, but the plants can be in constant bloom in warm climates; flowers are white, pink, purple or deep blue. Rosemary also has a tendency to flower outside its normal flowering season; it has been known to flower as late as early December, and as early as mid-February in the northern hemisphere.
Taxonomy
Salvia rosmarinus is now considered one of many hundreds of species in the genus Salvia. Formerly it was placed in a much smaller genus, Rosmarinus, which contained only two to four species including R. officinalis, which is now considered a synonym of S. rosmarinus. The other species most often recognized is the closely related Salvia jordanii — formerly Rosmarinus eriocalyx — of the Maghreb of Africa and Iberia. It is from Spain, Morocco, Algeria and Libya.
The name of ros marinus is the plant's ancient name in classical Latin. Elizabeth Kent noted in her “Flora Domestica” in 1823, "The botanical name of this plant is compounded of two Latin words, signifying Sea-dew; and, indeed, Rosemary thrives best by the sea." Both the original and current genus names of the species were applied by the 18th-century naturalist and founding taxonomist Carl Linnaeus.
History
The first mention of rosemary is found on cuneiform stone tablets as early as 5000 BC. After that not much is known, except that Egyptians used it in their burial rituals. There is no further mention of rosemary until the ancient Greeks and Romans. Pliny the Elder (23–79 AD) wrote about it in “The Natural History,” as did Pedanius Dioscorides (c. 40 to c. 90), a Greek physician, pharmacologist botanist and author. He talked about rosemary in his most famous writing, “De Materia Medica,” one of the most influential herbal books in history.
The herb then made its way east to China and was naturalized there as early as 220 AD, during the late Han Dynasty.
Rosemary came to England at an unknown date; the Romans probably brought it when they invaded in the first century, but there are no viable records about rosemary arriving in Britain until the eighth century. This was credited to Charlemagne, who promoted herbs in general, and ordered rosemary to be grown in monastic gardens and farms.
Furthermore, there are also no records of rosemary being properly naturalized in Britain until 1338, when cuttings were sent by The Countess of Hainault, Jeanne of Valois (1294–1342) to Queen Phillippa (1311–1369), wife of Edward III. It included a letter that described the virtues of rosemary and other herbs that accompanied the gift. The original manuscript can be found in the British Museum. The gift was then planted in the garden of the old palace of Westminster. After this, rosemary is found in most English herbal texts and is widely used for medicinal and culinary purposes. Hungary water — which dates to the 14th century — was one of the first alcohol-based perfumes in Europe and was primarily made from distilled rosemary.
Rosemary finally arrived in the Americas with early European settlers in the beginning of the 17th century. It soon was spread to South America and global distribution.
Usage
Upon cultivation, the leaves, twigs and flowering apices are extracted for use. Rosemary is used as a decorative plant in gardens. The leaves are used to flavor various foods, such as stuffing and roast meats.
Cultivation
Since it is attractive and drought-tolerant, rosemary is used as an ornamental plant in gardens and for xeriscape landscaping, especially in regions of Mediterranean climate. It is considered easy to grow and pest-resistant. Rosemary can grow quite large and retain attractiveness for many years, can be pruned into formal shapes and low hedges, and has been used for topiary. It is easily grown in pots. The groundcover cultivars spread widely, with a dense and durable texture.
Rosemary grows on loam soil with good drainage in an open, sunny position. It will not withstand waterlogging and some varieties are susceptible to frost. It grows best in neutral to alkaline conditions (pH 7–7.8) with average fertility. It can be propagated from an existing plant by clipping a shoot from a soft new growth 4–6 inches long, stripping a few leaves from the bottom, and planting it directly into soil.
Cultivars
Numerous cultivars have been selected for garden use:
- 'Albus' – white flowers.
- 'Arp' – leaves light green, lemon-scented and especially cold-hardy.
- 'Aureus' – leaves speckled yellow.
- 'Benenden Blue' – leaves narrow, dark green.
- 'Blue Boy' – dwarf, small leaves.
- 'Blue Rain' – pink flowers.
- 'Golden Rain' – leaves green, with yellow streaks.
- 'Gold Dust' -dark green leaves, with golden streaks but stronger than 'Golden Rain.'
- 'Haifa' – low and small, white flowers.
- 'Irene' – low and lax, trailing, intense blue flowers.
- 'Lockwood de Forest' – procumbent selection from 'Tuscan Blue.'
- 'Ken Taylor' – shrubby.
- 'Majorca Pink' – pink flowers.
- 'Miss Jessopp's Upright' – distinctive tall fastigiate form, with wider leaves.
- 'Pinkie' – pink flowers.
- 'Prostratus' – lower groundcover.
- 'Pyramidalis' (or 'Erectus') – fastigate form, pale blue flowers.
- 'Remembrance' (or 'Gallipoli') – taken from the Gallipoli Peninsula.
- 'Roseus' – pink flowers.
- 'Salem' – pale blue flowers, cold-hardy similar to 'Arp.'
- 'Severn Sea' – spreading, low-growing, with arching branches, flowers deep violet.
- 'Sudbury Blue' – blue flowers.
- 'Tuscan Blue' – traditional robust upright form.
- 'Wilma's Gold' – yellow leaves.
The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit:
- 'Miss Jessopp's Upright.'
- 'Severn Sea.'
- 'Sissinghurst Blue.'
- 'Benenden Blue.'
Culinary use
Rosemary leaves are used as a flavoring in foods, such as stuffing and roast lamb, pork, chicken and turkey. Fresh or dried leaves are used in traditional Mediterranean cuisine. They have a bitter, astringent taste and a characteristic aroma which complements many cooked foods. Herbal tea can be made from the leaves. When roasted with meats or vegetables, the leaves impart a mustard-like aroma with an additional fragrance of charred wood that goes well with barbecued foods.
In amounts typically used to flavor foods, such as one teaspoon or 1 gram, rosemary provides no nutritional value. Rosemary extract has been shown to improve the shelf life and heat stability of omega 3–rich oils which are prone to rancidity.
Fragrance
Rosemary oil is used for purposes of fragrant bodily perfumes or to emit an aroma into a room. It is also burned as incense and used in shampoos and cleaning products.
Phytochemicals
Rosemary contains a number of phytochemicals, including rosmarinic acid, camphor, caffeic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, carnosic acid and carnosol. Rosemary essential oil contains 10–20% camphor.
Folklore and customs
The plant or its oil have been used in folk medicine in the belief it may have medicinal effects. Rosemary was considered sacred to ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks. In “Don Quixote Part One, Chapter XVII, the fictional hero uses rosemary in his recipe for balm of fierabras, a fictional Saracen knight — sometimes of gigantic stature — appearing in several medieval narratives.
The plant has been used as a symbol for remembrance during war commemorations and funerals in Europe and Australia. Mourners would throw it into graves as a symbol of remembrance for the dead. In Australia, sprigs of rosemary are worn on ANZAC Day and sometimes Remembrance Day to signify remembrance; the herb grows wild on the Gallipoli Peninsula, where many Australians died during World War I. ANZAC Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and suffering of all those who have served". Observed on April 25 each year, it was originally devised to honor the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who served in the Gallipoli campaign, their first engagement in the World War I (1914–1918). Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states.
In Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” Ophelia says, "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance. Pray you, love, remember." It can also be found in Shakespeare's “A Winter’s Tale” in Act 4 Scene 4, where Perdita talks about "Rosemary and Rue."
Famous people named Rosemary
Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 – June 29, 2002) was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the song "Come On-a My House," which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me,” “Mambo Italiano,” “Tenderly,” “Half as Much,” “Hey There” and ”This Ole House.” She also had success as a jazz vocalist. Clooney's career languished in the 1960s, partly due to problems related to depression and drug addiction, but revived in 1977, when her “White Christmas” co-star Bing Crosby asked her to appear with him at a show marking his 50th anniversary in show business. She continued recording until her death in 2002.
Rosemary “Rosie” Casals
Rosemary "Rosie" Casals (born September 16, 1948) is a former American professional tennis player. She earned her reputation as a rebel in the tennis world when she began competing in the early 1960s. During a tennis career that spanned more than two decades, she won more than 90 tournaments and was a motivating force behind many of the changes that occurred in women's tennis during the 1960s and 1970s.
Dana Rosemary Scallon
Dana Rosemary Scallon (born Rosemary Brown; 30 August 1951), known professionally as Dana, is an Irish singer and former politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2004.
While still a schoolgirl she won the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest with "All Kinds of Everything.” It became a worldwide million-seller and launched her music career.
She entered politics in 1997, as Dana Rosemary Scallon, running unsuccessfully in the Irish presidential election, but later being elected as an MEP for Connacht-Ulster in 1999. Scallon was again an independent candidate in the Irish 2011 presidential election but was eliminated on the first count. In 2019, Dana announced she was back in the studio and was recording a brand-new album, her first in many years. “My Time” was released November 1, 2019.
Rosemary Sutcliff
Rosemary Sutcliff (14 December 1920 – 23 July 1992) was an English novelist best known for children’s books, especially historical fiction and retellings of myths and legends. Although she was primarily a children's author, some of her novels were specifically written for adults. In a 1986 interview she said, "I would claim that my books are for children of all ages, from nine to ninety."
For her contribution as a children's writer Sutcliff was a runner-up for the Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1974.
Rosemary Harris
Rosemary Ann Harris (born 19 September 1927) is an English actress. She is a 1986 American Theater Hall of Fame inductee.
Harris began her stage career in 1948, before making her Broadway debut in 1952. For her New York stage work, she is a four-time Drama Desk Award winner and nine-time Tony Award nominee, winning the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play in 1966 for “The Lion in Winter.” On television, she won an Emmy Award for the 1974 TV serial “Notorious Woman” and a Golden Globe Award for the 1978 miniseries “Holocaust.” For the 1994 film “Tom & Viv,” she received a Best Supportig Actress Academy Award nomination. She is the mother of actress Jennifer Ehle. In 2002, she portrayed Peter Parker’s Aunt May in Sam Raimi”s “Spider-Man,” a role she reprised in 2004's “Spider-Man 2” and 2007's “Spider-Man 3.”
Rosemary West
Rosemary Pauline West (née Letts; born 29 November 1953) or Rose West, is an English serial killer who collaborated with her husband Fred West in the torture and murder of at least nine young women between 1973 and 1987; she was also judged to have murdered her eight-year-old stepdaughter, Charmaine, in 1971. The majority of these murders took place at the Wests' residence at 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester. Rose is now an inmate at HM Prison New Hall, Flockton, West Yorkshire, England, after being convicted in 1995 of ten murders; Fred committed suicide in prison that same year while awaiting trial.
Movie “Rosemary’s Baby”
“Rosemary's Baby” is a 1968 American psychological horror film written and directed by Roman Polanski, and starring Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, Maurice Evans, Ralph Bellamy, Angela Dorian, Clay Tanner and, in his feature film debut, Charles Grodin. The film follows a young, pregnant wife in Manhattan who comes to suspect that her elderly neighbors are members of a Satanic cult and are grooming her in order to use her baby for their rituals. It is based on the 1967 novel of the same name by Ira Levin.
“Rosemary's Baby” deals with themes related to paranoia, women’s liberation, Christianity (Catholicism) and the occult. The film earned almost universal acclaim from film critics and won numerous nominations and awards. It is considered a hallmark of art-horror. In 2014, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, being deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant."
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