Common name: rosemary

Botanical name: Rosemarinus officinalis

Origin: Mediterranean

Varieties

Albus; Collingwood Ingram; Tuscan Blue; Prostratus; Lockwood de Forest.

Description

Rosemary is a half-hardy, evergreen, perennial shrub with narrow, aromatic, grey-green leaves. It can grow six feet tall, and the flowers are small, light blue or white. It's a perennial, but in areas  with very cold winters it's grown as an annual. Rosemary is one of the traditional strewing herbs; in the language of flowers its message is ''remember.'' In Shakespeare's play, Ophelia gives Hamlet a sprig of rosemary ''for remembrance.'' Keep up the old tradition of a herb of remembrance by tying a sprig of rosemary to a gift.

Where and when to grow

Rosemary can handle temperatures a bit below freezing and tolerates cold better in a sandy,  ell-drained location. Lessthan-ldeal conditions improve its fragrance, but it's not really hardy north of Washington, D.C. Grow it in a cold-winter area if you're willing to mulch it for winter protection.

How to plant

Like most herbs, rosemary is most fragrant and full of flavor if it's grown in well-drained, sandy soil that's high in organic matter but not over-rich. Very fertile soil will produce beautiful plants but decrease the production of the aromatic oils on which the plant's fragrance depends. Don't fertilize the soil if you're planting rosemary, except if you're growing it as a perennial in a mild winter climate; in this case, work a low-nitrogen (5-10-10) fertilizer into the soil before planting at the rate of about a half pound to 100 square feet. To grow rosemary from seed, start the seeds indoors or in a cold frame four to six weeks before your average date of last frost. Two weeks after the average date of last frost, transplant them to a location in full sun with a foot or more  between the plants and 18 to 24 inches between rows. You can also grow rosemary from

stem cuttings. Pot a rosemary plant from the garden in fall and bring it into the house for winter use. In the spring take stem cuttings to propagate your new crop.

Fertilizing and watering

Do not fertilize at midseason. If the weather is dry, water regularly to keep the soil moist. Don't let the roots dry out.

Pests

Rosemary has no serious pest problems. Like most herbs, it does well In the organic garden.

Diseases

Rosemary has no serious disease problems.

When and how to harvest

You can take some of the leaves, which look like short pine needles, and use them fresh any time you want them. Growth can be pruned back several times during a season.

Storing and preserving

Dry the leaves and store them in airtight containers.

Serving suggestions