Rosemary

Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis, is an evergreen shrub with fragrant leaves and stems. The plant is a rather slow to moderate grower and does fairly well in the desert Southwest. Freezing winter temps can cause die-back, but regular watering through the winter can help prevent this.

There are two different types of Rosemary, an upright and a trailing or spreading shrub, both require full sun and low watering, once established.

Rosemary blooms in the spring with lots of tiny lavender flowers, which are very attractive to bees. The leaves and stems of both varieties are widely used for cooking.

Older Rosemary bushes tend to have a scraggly appearance and regular pruning is suggested. To keep the natural look try selective pruning, removing the dead branches deep inside the plant, instead of using a hedger.

Rosemary does well in containers so plant some right outside your kitchen door f

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