HERB OR SHRUB? The debate between gardeners rages on about Rosemary
by Charlie Neumeyer/Victoria County Master Gardener
March 1, 2025
One of the more striking colors of Rosemary in this purple color. Other colors are deep blue, pink and white. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS)
When I think of rosemary, my mind goes to landscaping shrubs. I don’t think that that is true for most people. To those of us who like to cook using herbs, rosemary is an ingredient that can easily be grown in our gardens.
A Little Background
Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) is “an aromatic, perennial evergreen shrub in the mint family.” According to the Wisconsin Agricultural Extension, it is “native to the hills along the Mediterranean, Portugal and northwestern Spain.” Rosemary was used by the early Greeks and Romans, but it wasn’t until the 15th century that rosemary was used as a condiment in cooking.
Cultivating Rosemary
The Texas A& M AgriLife Extension, in one of its Easy Gardening series, notes that rosemary is “relatively easy to grow.” Rosemary comes in two forms— upright and prostrate. If you are growing rosemary for culinary purpose, it is recommended that you grow the upright form. As with most herbs, rosemary needs full sun and well-drained soil, and, once established, it does not need much water. I have mine planted in my herb garden along with thyme, basil, and oregano.
Another factor to consider is soil pH. If your soil has a low pH, add lime to increase the alkalinity. Rosemary is fairly drought resistant and can tolerate light freezes. When we had our week-long sub-freezing spell several years ago, my rosemary did die, but it had previously survived several winters.
It is an evergreen perennial, so keep that in mind when selecting a site. Rosemary rarely needs fertilizing, but if you must, any all-purpose fertilizer can be applied in the spring. Because of their pungent smell, rosemary is deer and rabbit resistant. Mostly disease resistant, powdery mildew can be a problem.
Culinary Uses
Rosemary has a sharp, pungent smell that is instantly recognizable. Sort of like cilantro, rosemary is an herb that you either like or absolutely cannot stand. But even if you like it, a little goes a long way. You can use whole sprigs or you can strip the leaves off.
For flavoring stews or when using as an aromatic for baked chicken, just use the whole stem. It is a great addition to an olive oil marinade and pairs well with garlic, onion and other strong flavors. In this use, finely dicing the leaves will release more oil.
If you are creative, rosemary actually can be infused into cocktails or into the simple syrup used in the drink. According to DesignDash, adding it into cookies, cakes and bread lends a “delicate, herbal undertone.” It can be infused into ice cream or custards and a rosemary syrup can be drizzled over fresh fruit.
Rosemary in the Landscape
While we do use rosemary in cooking, I have also used rosemary in my landscape. As noted, there is a prostrate form of rosemary that forms a dense, low-growing mass and can serve as a groundcover. Rosemary will provide a muted green/gray color that contrasts with the usual green.
The upright varieties have a relatively tight form with a dense structure. This rosemary requires minimum maintenance as they need little water, no pruning, and have no insect or disease problems. The plant blooms in spring or summer and the flowers can be purple, deep blue, pink or white. On hot, summer afternoons you can smell the fragrance.
A Rich History
While I thought I knew quite a bit about rosemary, the richness of its history and varied uses surprised me. Charlemagne insisted that it be grown in his royal gardens. Napoleon Bonaparte used it in his Eau de Cologne. And in folklore, rosemary symbolizes, happiness, loyalty and love.
Gardeners’ Dirt appears in The Victoria Advocate each weekend.