Poster Project
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Plant species & family
Common name
Origin and current distribution
Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean area along the coast, especially in rocky, dry areas. Rosemary dates back to 550 b.c. where it is known to have been used by the Greek and Roman scholars to help thier memory during examinations. Currently, rosemary is produced throughout Spain. Much of the commercially grown rosemary is from Spain, France, and Morocco. It is grown throughout temperate regions of America and Europe.
Culture or country that uses this plant
Rosemary is used all over England today. In Italy, rosemary is one of the most commonly used herbs. Almost all true Italian recipes have Rosemary in it; it is practically used in all the food! It can also be discreetly seen to be used in French, Greek, and Spanish cooking. Italian butcher shops serve sprigs of rosemary with the meat as it is a fine compliment in lamb recipes, pork, kid, rabbit, red meat, fillet mignon, fish, shellfish, veal, and chicken. Rosemary is excellent for root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions. It’s almost impossible to not see rosemary being used in pastas, soups, stews, sauces, marinades, and breads, meat.
Uses
Uses
In olde England, rosemary's memory enhancing qualities changed it into a symbol of fidelity. In the 14th century, rosemary oil was extracted and at the time used to make a popular cosmetic called Queen of Hungary water. In the 16th and 17th centuries rosemary's digestive qualities were being discovered and as a result became a popular digestive aid in apothecaries. Rosemary is closely related to love, marriage, birth and death. Rosemary was once used to place in the hands of the deceased at funerals as a symbol of remembrance by their loved ones. What is more, a symbol of happiness, loyalty and love was brought in matrimony. According to legend, the flower of the rosemary was once white but changed blue after the Virgin Mary placed her cloak upon it while she rested in her flight from Egypt.
Rosemary effects
- Rosemarinic acid and caffeic acid are the main secondary chemical constituits of rosemary's health benifits
- stimulate growth of hair
- aids digestion and respitory disorders
- relaxes muscles of trachea and intestine
- potential in treatment or prevention of bronchial asthma, spasmogenic disorders, peptic ulcer, inflammatory diseases, hepatotoxicity, atherosclerosis, ischaemic heart disease, cataract, cancer and poor sperm motility.
Citations
Spice Advice - Spice Encyclopedia. (1997, January 1). Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.spiceadvice.com/encyclopedia/Rosemary.html
Filippone, P. (2014, January 1). Rosemary History. Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/rosemaryhistory.htm
The Herb Society of America’s Essential Facts for Rosemary. (2009, January 1). Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.herbsociety.org/factsheets/rosemaryfactsheet.pdf
(2001, January 1). Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=75
Herb Profiles: Rosemary. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.herbinfosite.com/?page_id=305
Bioline International Official Site (site up-dated regularly). (1989, January 1). Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.bioline.org.br/request?ie99026
Fun facts
- placed in books and clothes to protect against moths and give a plesent odor.