Rosemary
an Herb
Origin
Rosemary is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves, with white, pink, blue or purple flowers native to Mediterranean region. A member of the mint family, it is a evergreen shrub also related to basil, oregano etc. and is usually found growing by the ocean. Usage of rosemary dates back to 500 b.c. used for culinary and medicinal reasons by the ancient Greeks and Romans. As of today, rosemary is still used for medicinal uses. Comes to use from Morocco, France and Spain but is easily grown anywhere with temperate climate.
Botanical Information
Rosemary is a tender evergreen herb that is known for the fragrance of its foliage. It's native to the sea cliffs of Spain, Italy, France and Greece. The name "Rosemary" comes from the latin word "ros-marinis" which means mist of the sea or dew of the sea. Rosemary generally forms a dense shrub ranging in height but can reach up to 7 feet. Rosemary is commonly associated with lavender and is a member of the mint family.
Common Culinary Uses
Rosemary and Garlic-Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Lemon Rosemary Button Shortbreads
Ginger Rosemary Lemon Drop Cocktails
Incorporated in many more entrees and olive oil
Health Benefits
- Improve Digestion
- Enhances Memory and Concentration
- Prevent and Treat Baldness
- Treat Circulation Problems
- Wound Healing
- Insect Repellent
- Reduce Age Related Memory Loss
- Cancer Prevention
- Pain Relief & Anti-Inflammatory
Interesting Facts
- Can grow up to 2 to 6 feet tall
- Produces white, purple, pink and blue flowers
- often paired up with lamb as its bittersweet and nutty flavored
- distilled rosemary oil can be poisonous in strong doses
- best time to plant rosemary is early spring or fall
- quite difficult to grow from seeds